Female pupils from Falkirk schools invest time in business challenge

Students from three high schools in the Falkirk area will be battling it out with fellow pupils from other educational establishments across the country in an investment industry competition.
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The female pupils, from Bo’ness Academy and Grangemouth and Larbert High Schools are among over 70 teams from 48 schools taking part in the Growing Future Assets Competition, designed to nurture a future generation of female investment experts.

The contest, which aims to introduce senior girls to the world of investment and its range of careers, sees the teenagers vying to spot the next big investment opportunity.

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Financial educators Future Asset are challenging a total of 320 girls, divided into teams of 13-18-year-olds to research, analyse and pitch a company they think will be a great long-term investment.

Pupils from Grangemouth High School will be joining students from Bo'ness Academy and Larbert High School in the challengePupils from Grangemouth High School will be joining students from Bo'ness Academy and Larbert High School in the challenge
Pupils from Grangemouth High School will be joining students from Bo'ness Academy and Larbert High School in the challenge

The youngsters are paired with a mentor from an investment company to provide advice, inspiration and career insights and have the chance to attend online masterclasses as they develop an understanding that good investing focuses on a company’s long-term prospects, profits and sustainability. This year more than 80 investment mentors from 28 firms have stepped up to counsel the youngsters.

Ashley-Jane Kyle, CFA, Investment Analyst at Walter Scott & Partners Limited, has enjoyed being an investment mentor for the competition.

She added: “I’ve been so impressed with the students’ enthusiasm and effort put in to their investment reports and pitches. I think this is a great way to break the barrier that often puts girls off from considering investment management as a career as it allows them to experience in quite a real way what it’s like to research and invest in businesses.

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"It also gives them an opportunity to develop valuable skills which they will be able to use throughout their careers.”

Now in its third year, the competition features a senior contest for years S5 and S6 and a junior challenge for S3 and S4.

The teams of three to six girls will present their case in a research report and three-minute elevator pitch by November 30. The top teams will then deliver an extended pitch to judges at the final in March next year.

The winning senior school will claim £1000 and £200 worth of vouchers of the students’ choice for each team member.

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Helen Bradley, Future Asset programme manager, said: “We are overwhelmed by the enthusiasm shown by the schools, the teachers and all the investment experts who have come forward to mentor the teams.

“We weren’t sure what the response would be from schools then at the beginning of September, when the competition launched, we just watched in amazement at the huge influx of registrations. We put out a call for additional mentors and that was answered enthusiastically by experts already in the industry.

“We’re also hugely impressed by the commitment shown by teachers who have really responded to this extra-curricular opportunity for their students – especially when they have already faced such a difficult period and increase in their own workload over the last 18 months.”

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