Examination
One of the advantages of being a member of a Young Enterprise company is the opportunity to sit the Young Enterprise Scotland Examination. This is designed exclusively for those who have the unique experience of participating in a Young Enterprise Scotland company.
The Examination:
- provides an indication of commitment,
- is a measure of practical business experience,
- is evidence of ability to learn from experience,
- provides an important feature for any application form or c.v.,
- is a valuable talking point at interviews.
The Examination is conducted by Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship at Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde, which has managed, set and marked the Examination since 1993 to the same quality control standards it applies to its degree, diploma and certificate courses. The Business School is a major innovator in, and committed to all stages of, education in business management.
The Examination assesses the student's competence in work experience, and the questions are related to the business excellence model :
- Leadership
- Planning and Development
- People and Financial Management
- Business Processes
- Customer Satisfaction
- People Satisfaction
- Impact on Society
- Business Results
Answers should reflect students' experience in their own Young Enterprise company. A copy of the most recent examination paper is also available on this web site.
Date
The Examination will be taken during a two week period (2012 dates: 20th February to 2nd March) and all students in a company must sit it at the same time. It is taken at the place of a normal company meeting or be taken in school.
Candidates
The Examination is exclusively for current members of registered Young Enterprise Scotland companies eligible for an Achiever Certificate (1,282 candidates from 161 school companies throughout Scotland sat the Examination in 2011). All current members of registered Young Enterprise Scotland companies are automatically enrolled for the Examination.
Structure
The one and a half hour Examination enables candidates to rationalise the issues they have experienced within their own company.
The questions require answers based on candidates' experience in their own Young Enterprise company rather than upon theoretical knowledge. It is, therefore, unnecessary to study and revise for it in order to succeed. This approach provides those who are not usually good at traditional examinations with an opportunity to show what they can do.
Candidates should answer each question as a whole, not just replying on the prompts provided, and give clear examples in evidence, not just making unsupported assertions.
Candidates are required to answer two compulsory general questions, and any two selected from six other questions which cover the whole range of business aspects. All questions carry equal marks. Students may choose to answer either in a short paragraph in sentences or as a list of the key points they wish to communicate. Both styles carry equal assessment in the marking process.
Grading
Candidates may pass or gain a credit or distinction. Those who do not demonstrate sufficient understanding of business are ungraded and receive no certificate.
Fees
The fee is only £7 per candidate, since the Strathclyde Business School are sponsoring the examination and only charging part of the cost. Some Area Boards may be paying all or part of the fee. You should decide whether each student should pay the balance or whether your company, provided it is sufficiently profitable, should pay any fees. You may alternatively find some organisation willing to sponsor the fees.
Documentation
The link teacher or business adviser (as determined by the Area Board) will be sent two weeks before the Examination date a package containing a sealed pack of examination papers to be opened at the start of the Examination, answer books, and invigilator instructions with a form to complete and return with the examination materials and fees. The same number of papers and answer books will be sent as we have students registered with your company.
Possible Action Required
- Check that the list of students on your company registration is still up to date.
- Set up reflective group discussions before the Examination to encourage more thoughful answers. A meeting for a discussion of the paper a week or so after taking it would encourage further learning.
- applications for special consideration for any student having difficulties with written work should be submitted by 5th February by emailing entrepreneur@strath.ac.uk
