Star of hit TV show ‘The Apprentice’, launches enterprise project at Burnley College Sixth Form Centre

Burnley College Sixth Form Centre is working with star of Sir Alan Sugar’s hit show ‘The Apprentice’ Adam Corbally to run an innovative competition – Project Enterprise 2020 – to challenge and inspire students.

More than 12 teams of between two and six students – both A Level and Advanced Vocational – each have been pitching their ideas on a product, or service, that could be used during the Covid-19 period – and are in with a chance to win £250 and the opportunity to be mentored by business guru. and motivational speaker Adam himself.

Adam said:

“From the work I’ve done over the years with Burnley College Sixth Form Centre, I know that staff and students alike place importance on those vital life skills, such as self-motivation and showing initiative, that are not just learnt in the classroom. These are the skills that set Burnley College students apart when they’re looking for places at top universities or with leading employers. I’ve designed Project Enterprise with that in mind and hope it’s a win-win for our teams so they can benefit from expert coaching from staff and myself while working as a team to pull together an exciting and innovative idea.”

Adam Corbally has a close working relationship with Burnley College, inspiring and motivating students and Themis Apprentices during the College’s annual Careers Week and regular Student Development Days. The engaging activity for students on lockdown will help them develop attributes valued by universities and employers alike, including resilience, self-confidence, team-working and communication skills.

He added:

“We are thrilled at the response! Project Enterprise 2020 went live in a Google Classroom and teams were able to watch a couple of videos I’d put together.  They’ve had the task and brief now in detail which gives them plenty of tips on how to present their ideas and produce a five-minute pitch and a 90 second advert for their product or service.”

In addition to individual support from Adam, College Tutors are also available online to provide advice and guidance. Adam’s fellow judges are Assistant Principal Angela Donovan and Director of Themis Neil Burrows.

Angela Donovan said:

“Instead of counting the days until we hear from the Government that we can return to College, we are committed to making our students’ days at home count. Staff are working tirelessly to give our students as many opportunities as possible during this time – from continuing classes online, offering the individual academic support for which we are renown, providing a range of online extra-curricular activities and, of course, round-the-clock health and wellbeing support.

“At Burnley College Sixth Form Centre we are committed to playing our part in creating well-rounded members of society, those young people who will be the leaders of tomorrow and change their chosen industries or communities. Project Enterprise is just one of the ways that work is continuing during Covid-19.”

She thanked Adam for his support with the innovative project and added:

“The winning team will see their ideas come to life and will also benefit from Adam’s experience. Having a long-term mentorship like this is an amazing opportunity – it’s a safe space where no idea or question is wrong, where you can talk freely and really grow your knowledge and confidence, voice your concerns and flesh out your ideas.  What a great prize!”

If you want to study at Burnley College Sixth Form Centre and discover how we can boost your application to university or for a successful career through innovative extra-curricular activities, visit our website at www.burnley.ac.uk, email [email protected] or call 01282 733373.  Our staff are working remotely to answer your queries and help take your learning to the next level.