TWO hundred pupils are being offered the opportunity to get some trade experience at the Pittville Pump Room in Cheltenham Town Hall next month.

On Wednesday, March 8, Young Enterprise will be pitting student businesses against each other from 20 different schools, including Cirencester College and Westonbirt School.

All participants pitching their products are taking part in Young Enterprise’s flagship Company Programme in Gloucestershire and will be setting up trade stands to showcase their entrepreneurial talents and sell their wares.

Aimed at students aged between 15 and 19, the renowned programme gives them the chance to set up and run their own company for a year, under the guidance of a skilled business mentor.

The students elect a board of directors from amongst their peers, raise share capital and market and finance a product or service that they create, as part of the scheme.

At the event next month, judges from a range of local businesses will visit the stalls throughout the afternoon, with certificates being announced at 5pm for best product and manufacturing, best customer focus and best performance in the ‘dragon’s den’.

The other schools taking part in this year’s Young Enterprise Trade Fair in Gloucestershire are Alderman Knight’s School, All Saints’ Academy, Balcarras, Bournside, Cheltenham College, Cheltenham Ladies College, Chosen Hill, Crypt School, Focus College, Berkeley, Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School, National Star College, Sir Thomas Richs’ School, Stroud High School, Wycliffe College.

The wide range of products this year includes, candles, cushions, streetwear, microwave warmers, cards & calendars, homeware made from recycled pallets, a young drivers’ app, a literacy game for young children and much more.

The event will be formally opened at 2.30pm by Cicely Elliott-Berry, co-founder and director at Sibling Gin in Cheltenham.

Cicely took part in the programme while at Balcarras and as managing director led her team to victory in the national final.

Also during the afternoon a business networking event to give local business people the opportunity to see the students in action, find out more about the skills they have developed and hopefully buy some products too, will be taking place.

The Gloucestershire final of the Young Enterprise company programme will take place at the Royal Agricultural University on the May 2.

The regional final will then take place at the Renishaw Innovation Centre near Wotton-Under-Edge on June 14 and the national final in London on July 6.

To attend the trade fair or to ask for further information, contact Gillian Hayward, Young Enterprise Manager for Gloucestershire on Gillian.hayward@y-e.org.uk or 07703 058541.