Business leaders and marketeers of the future will be putting their heads together at an inter-college competition, inspired by BBC’s The Apprentice.

The competition, known as the Future Business Leader Challenge, has been drawn up by Level 3 Business Diploma students at West Nottinghamshire College and they’re inviting students from other colleges in the East Midlands to join them in the project.

Groups of students from West Notts College, North Notts College, Ashfield School Sixth Form, Doncaster College and Chesterfield College have been set the challenge to generate a campaign for a product – turning a plain pair of plimsolls into a best-selling product.

Groups will be expected to work together for the next 18 weeks using a range of advertising methods to promote their product before submitting their ideas to a panel of judges.

The students will need to put their skills to the test to create a brand for the footwear, devise a billboard and television advert as well as advertise and market the plimsolls, which they will brand for a particular audience in order to make it a successful and viable product.

They will work in groups of up to five members, and are expected to raise any funds that they need in order to create the advertising campaign. The maximum amount allowed to be spent on the project is £50.

The challenge, which is being sponsored by Primark, will end in May when all groups join together to pitch their campaigns to a panel of judges and a winning group and their product will be announced. Judges will include representatives from Primark, Gill Parkes, vice principal of Chesterfield College and Dame Asha Khemka, principal of West Nottinghamshire College.

One of the prizes includes work experience at Linney Group’s Insight team – this is a team that sits as part of Mansfield-based Linney Design. The company works with a range of large national and multi-national household brands to marketing products.

Each competing team will also be given tickets to see Nottingham Rugby Football Club play a game.

Business curriculum manager Jane Fishwick said: “This is going to be a really exciting and complex challenge for students across all colleges. Three of my own students devised the competition and they’ve done an excellent job at pitching it to learners at other colleges in the area and we’re hopeful that plenty will take part.

“It will certainly test their marketing and leadership skills and get their creative juices flowing while they come up with the product concepts and designs. There are major benefits to getting involved in this competition as it will help them stand out to employers when it comes to job applications, having shown the ability to cope in real business situations.”