(2015) Top 5 Contestants’ Testimonials

Last year’s competition was widely successful and well-attended, attracting ambitious students from all four universities in Edinburgh. With over 150 participants, these students were put to the test and underwent 4 rounds over the space of a week which challenged range of their business skills. Round by round more and more participants were eliminated where by the final round, the competition was whittled down to the top 5 contestants. They were given a brief to develop a business idea for a product overnight where the top 5 presented their unique idea to a panel of judges. By the end of the day, Shannon Russell was crowned the winner of ‘The Edinburgh Apprentice’ 2015, and below the top 5 give their personal insights into their experience in the competition.

Winner – Shannon Russell

What do you study? - I study Law at Edinburgh University.

Why did you apply for The Edinburgh Apprentice? - I wanted to gain broader business skills rather than just having legal knowledge (from my law degree). I am also interested in going into commercial law and saw TEA as a good opportunity to widen my commercial awareness.

Which round did you enjoy the most and why? - The Interview round. It tests you as a person where the questions and feedback really helped me develop myself. I also liked the social atmosphere where you get to socialise with the Top 20 and meet some good friends in the process.

Which round did you find the most challenging and why? - The Final Round. I found it difficult to calculate the financial side of starting a business especially finding prices for everything such as electricity.

What has your experience at TEA taught you? - TEA has taught me the importance of doing things in a creative and innovative way especially that is different from what you would usually do. For instance, I found it was really key to find different ways of marketing during the selling round to stand out.

What advice would you give to those wanting to compete in TEA in the future? - Try and be as innovative and creative as possible because that what makes you stand out as an individual to the judges.

If you could describe your experience at TEA in three words, what would they be? - Fun, engaging, social

Top 5 Contestant– Craig Wilson

What do you study? - I study Law at Edinburgh University.
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Why did you apply for The Edinburgh Apprentice? - To win. It was all about winning and it was a worthwhile commitment because it was a chance to show my business acumen that I’ve gained over the years at university.

Which round did you enjoy the most and why? - The Semi-Final. It was relaxed and the most fun round where people were smiling the most in this round. The quick-fire interviews was nothing I’ve ever experienced before especially with the varied interviewers and the different tactics they used.

Which round did you find the most challenging and why? - The Investment Round. Being a law student, I’ve never done it before because I’ve had no experience and was thrown off by all the jargon. The judges were very stringent with their questions and you really had to know your stuff.

What has your experience at TEA taught you? - It’s taught me never to be afraid to ask local business for help because it’s amazing for what they’ll actually do for you. It also taught me how to trust my teammates and for me personally, how to let go being a perfectionist where working with other people I had to let that go and believe what we had was good enough.  

What advice would you give to those wanting to compete in TEA in the future? - Be prepared and go in with an open mind about the rounds. Look at the whole experience and treat all the rounds as the same in terms of applying your business acumen and skills.

If you could describe your experience at TEA in three words, what would they be? - Not much sleep

Top 5 Contestant – Sarah Peachey

What do you study? - I study Philosophy at Edinburgh University

Why did you apply for The Edinburgh Apprentice? - It seemed like a unique opportunity to push myself out of the comfort zone and this year I was determined to do something during Learning Week that was worthwhile.

Which round did you enjoy the most and why? - It’s a toss up between Consultancy round and the Interview round– it was the most creative out of the rounds. I also enjoyed meeting and working with all kinds of people.

Which round did you find the most challenging and why?- The Final round. I found dealing with the number side most challenging but it has motivated me to push myself to improve my numeracy skills. It also showed me how difficult it is to start a business.

What has your experience at TEA taught you? - It’s taught me quite a lot of things – especially how to work in a group when working with different kinds of people since I was so used to working with my friends.

What advice would you give to those wanting to compete in TEA in the future? - Be prepared for the unexpected. Try to remain calm, confident and organised and really work together with your team.

If you could describe your experience at TEA in three words, what would they be? - (The) Heat is hot

Top 5 Contestant – Stanley Wang

What do you study? - I study Computer Science at Edinburgh University
Why did you apply for The Edinburgh Apprentice? - I wanted to try something new especially during Innovative Learning Week.
Which round did you enjoy the most and why? - The Interview Round. It was the first round I really got to socialise with the Top 20 candidates. It was a great atmosphere because we were all in the same boat where we were all feeling nervous for the interviews. I also got to meet some friends from all around the world throughout the competition.
Which round did you find the most challenging and why? - The Selling Round. I didn’t think I was good at selling and I found it difficult to get students around the library to be enthusiastic in buying our products.
What has your experience at TEA taught you? - If you put your mind to it you can do it. I came into this process without much knowledge about business and we were thrown in the deep end with this competition. I found if you really put your mind to it and with hard work, you can achieve your goal.
What advice would you give to those wanting to compete in TEA in the future? - Don’t be shy and just go for it where if you hold back, you’re not going to get the most out of what the competition has to offer. It was truly a rewarding experience at the end of the day.
If you could describe your experience at TEA in three words, what would they be? - Exciting, Demanding, Rewarding

Top 5 Contestant– Joseph Sharkey

What do you study? - I study Business Psychology at Heriot Watt University.
Why did you apply for The Edinburgh Apprentice? - I saw flyers for the competition and I thought it would be a good networking experience as I am interested in getting a job after I graduate.
Which round did you enjoy the most and why? - The Consultancy Round. I liked how free flowing it was where we were given the basics and from that we were allowed to improvise and develop our ideas in our own way.
Which round did you find the most challenging and why? - The Selling round
What has your experience at TEA taught you? - I got to know more about myself where I found out I was a bit better at interviewing and presenting than I expected. I also learned it was important to be dynamic in the interview process in order to stand out.
What advice would you give to those wanting to compete in TEA in the future? - To love the sound of your own voice. You have to believe what you are saying where you should not self doubt what you say otherwise that will project.
If you could describe your experience at TEA in three words, what would they be? - Break the mould