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The competition, which aligns with CCEA’s A Level Business Studies qualification, was held in association with Queen’s Management School, BDO Northern Ireland, Henderson Group and supported by CCEA, aims to test the business acumen of A Level Business Studies pupils who are tasked to work in teams to develop a business strategy in real time. A business case study was provided to students by Henderson Group, who were then tasked with developing their strategy and pitching it to the judging panel.

Jill Armer, CCEA’s Business Studies Education Manager, said:

This year’s event attracted more students and more teams than ever before. A testament to how the NI Schools’ Business challenge has become a valued addition to the school calendar. The students have as ever been outstanding, demonstrating knowledge, confidence and the skills required should they decide to continue their business studies and work towards a successful business career.

Lorraine Nelson, Partner & Head of Tax at BDO Northern Ireland said,

Time and again, this competition has shown how students can connect their learning to real-world applications. It was inspiring to see their enthusiasm and talent and I am in no doubt that the future is bright for NI with these students.

Billy Moore, Group Finance Director at Henderson Group discussed the importance of this challenge:

We were incredibly impressed with the winning school’s performance, and all pupils on the day showed they are future leaders in business. Being on the judging panel and engaging with the pupils is always an interesting day for us, especially seeing skills the students put into practice with our business challenge. Congratulations to St Mary’s Grammar!

Professor Ciaran Connolly from Queen’s Business School said:

Each year I think that the standard cannot get any higher, and each year I am proved wrong. The quality of the presentations continues to improve year on year, with the pupils demonstrating an insight way beyond their years. They are a credit to their school, and I hope that many will return to Queen's Business School as students in the future.

The opportunity for students to pit themselves against other schools whilst learning from them and sharing ideas has contributed to the popularity of this competition.

The winning schools came away with VIP tickets for a Belfast Giants game and a £500 prize pot for their school.