The Apprentice finalist Kate Walsh was among the judges at a business event to find the next generation of Alan Sugars and Karren Bradys in the West Midlands.

Ms Walsh was judging the Coca-Cola Enterprises Young Chamber Challenge, which asked schools from across the West Midlands region to create a new drink for the London 2012 Games.

Ten schools from the West Midlands had to present a concept, business plan and marketing strategy, complete with a radio jingle to advertise the product.

Ms Walsh, who co-hosts Live from Studio Five on Channel Five, said she was very impressed with the enterprising skills of all the teams.

She said: “I wish I would have had something like this when I was at school. I studied business at GCSE and A-level but we didn’t do anything as hands-on as this or as relevant to the workplace.

“The Apprentice as a programme has brought business to the masses and kids engage with celebrity and what they see on the television and today was in a similar vein where you have a deadline, you need an idea, you must consider all the aspects of a business and then present it back.

“That makes it so much more interesting and fun for students and schools should incorporate a lot more of it into school.”

The event took place at the headquarters of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, in Binley, and the winning team came from Stoke’s Clayton Hall School.

Ms Walsh was joined on the judging panel by Stuart Agate, regional director of Coca-Cola Enterprises, David Hooper, from Advantage West Midlands, Derek Kozel, from Young Chamber, and Luke Crawford, from Touch Radio.

Kate Squires, Young Chamber co-ordinator in Coventry and Warwickshire, said: “This event was a great example of what enterprising young minds can achieve.

“It is also very important that bright young individuals are engaged with hands-on business and it’s clear from this event that practical challenges ­really bring out the best in them.”