On Sunday 9th March, shoppers in the White Rose Shopping Centre, Leeds, will be in for a treat as students from across West Yorkshire, including those from three schools within Bradford District, will be selling products that they have manufactured whilst running their own real businesses as part of the Young Enterprise Company Programme.

The local teenagers will be taking part in the Young Enterprise West Yorkshire Trade Fair, all hoping to showcase their products and their entrepreneurial talent to hoards of Sunday shoppers.

The three companies created by Bradford District students are Chimera from Bingley Grammar School, Synapse from Challenge College, and BBEC Boutique from Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College.

The Trade Fair is taking place in the Upper Circle area of the shopping centre and will consist of sixteen trade stands designed by the students to market their companies’ products to best effect. All companies taking part will be judged on the day to win the award for Best Trade Stand 2008.

The trade fair will provide a fantastic opportunity for all the students taking part to experience real-life business, as part of the Company Programme, which offers students of all abilities the chance to gain practical experience of enterprise through setting up and running their own real company.

The students began their Young Enterprise experience last Autumn, and since then have elected a board of directors, raised share capital, and marketed and financed a product or service of their own choice. At the end of this academic year they will liquidate the company and present a report and accounts, entering a National Competition to find the Young Enterprise UK Company of the Year.