Pinnacle Awards
The Farmers Club Pinnacle Awards for Excellence in Business Management
Introduction
The Farmers Club Pinnacle Awards now in their 15th year are a regular fixture
in the academic calendar and present a unique challenge for students to
demonstrate their potential. These Awards provide students who are planning
to work in the agricultural industry an opportunity to demonstrate their
potential and receive a valuable cash prize. Students who enter are
encouraged to develop innovative, competitive and realistic business
strategies that also meet the wider environmental requirements.
Participation should involve very little additional work. Tutors select and
submit up to two projects which may form part of normal coursework. These
are assessed against defined criteria and aims of the award scheme by a
panel of judges from The Farmers Club, ADAS, The Cave Foundation and
The Guild of Agricultural Journalists. The panel will be chaired by Professor
David Leaver. Short listed students are invited to The Farmers Club in London
for an interview and provide a presentation of their project. The prizes are
presented to the top 3 at a formal dinner on the same day with the panel,
friends, families and lecturers.
A total of £8,400 in prizes for the Awards is most generously donated by The
Cave Foundation. Administration and other support is given by ADAS and
The Farmers Club.
The purpose of the Awards is to:
· Stimulate and encourage an innovative approach to business
management within a context of productive farming which minimises
environmental impact.
· Provide encouragement to students to develop and enhance their
knowledge and application of budgeting, financial assessment,
commercial viability and the environment. .
· Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the issues involved
in securing our food and enhancing the environment
· Develop problem-solving skills
· Provide an opportunity for students to develop communication and
presentation skills.
Who can enter?
The awards are open to full-time students on a college or university course
that is related to the rural economy who will complete a practically based
business related project as part of their course during the academic year
2012/2013.
Students are entered on the recommendation of their college or university as
having undertaken a project of a high standard which is suitable for
assessment in competition with others.
The project may form part of normal course work.
Entries from group based projects are permitted, with the interview and
presentation being open to only one member of the group.
How to Register
Registration is in three stages:
1. Initial interest in submitting entries for the awards must be made on the
official form by 26 October 2012
2. Confirmation of the number and name of entries to be made by Friday
14 December 2012
3. Submission of the entry including full contact details of the student and
tutor Friday 15 March 2013. Entries MUST be submitted in written
format. Electronic submissions in Word, Excel or PDF format are
preferred although printed entries will be accepted.
Entries received after the cut off date may be excluded from the competition.
Prizes
All eight finalists will be invited to final judging and award presentation at The
Farmers Club on 25 April 2013. The presentations will be made at the
formal dinner on the same day.
1. First place receives the Nickerson Cup and The Farmers Club GOLD Student Pinnacle Award of £2400.
2. Second place receives The Farmers Club SILVER Student Pinnacle Award of £1200.
3. Third place receives The Farmers Club BRONZE Student Pinnacle Award of £800.
All 8 finalists will receive a year’s free
membership of The Farmers Club.
The University/College of all 8 finalists will receive £200 to help towards any
travel and accommodation costs.
Assessment Criteria
Initially entries are assessed on the written project. For those students who
are shortlisted, there will be personal interviews and presentations held in a
competitive environment.
All entries:
· Investigation and identification of issues and priorities
· Understanding of the full range of business management skill balanced with a need to produce food and enhance the environment.
· Appropriateness and innovation of the proposals
· Methodology, and accuracy of the supporting data.
· Recommendations for follow up actions and progress monitoring.
· Finalists will also be assessed on their Interview and presentation skills.
Interview and presentation skillsFurther information about the awards can be obtained from Gina Monckton at ADAS on 0190 227 1317 or by visiting www.adas.co.uk