YOUNG people proved they were up to the job when they swapped the classroom for the boardroom in a challenge based on TV show The Apprentice.

To mark National Apprenticeship Week, Bolton-based ao.com, online electrical retailer, opened its doors to school children and to work in teams to design and come up with a strategy to launch a new business into the market.

Schools taking part included Westhoughton High School and Rivington and Blackrod High School.

Ideas they came up with included the next generation of smart TVs, a washing basked to weigh clothes and alert users when a wash is needed, a range of cooking appliances for children and musical pots and pans which jingled when food was close to burning.

The winning team was the next generation of smart TV — led by the company's apprentices Sam Naylor and Ryan Melling, which won over judges with its innovation and design — although the panel thought all the ideas were "well thought out" and "well executed".

John Roberts, CEO and founder of ao.com, said: “The purpose of the apprentice challenge for us, was to give some local children an insight into what we’re like as a business.

"We wanted to give them something interesting to do, that they’d hopefully take some skills from and remember for a long time.

“The school children were led by our existing apprentices, so it was a fantastic opportunity for them as well, and gave them a chance to engage the next level of people coming through.

"The day also helped to highlight what the apprentice scheme is all about; because quite often in educational life, there’s a path to follow; you complete your GCSEs, then A Levels and then naturally go on to university, but this is a real alternative opportunity for children to do something different and worthwhile."

He added: "At ao.com we want to be part of that development and are excited to move forward with the scheme”.

Mike MacLoughlin, a senior manager at the North West branch of the National Apprenticeship Service added: “I found the apprentice challenge at ao.com to be extremely enjoyable.

"It was fantastic to see four groups of students so enthused and motivated.

"It was superbly led by the ao.com apprentices, and demonstrated the skills they’ve gained since joining the apprentice scheme and ao.com”.