THEY'RE The Next Generation of business leaders - TNG has triumphed at the Dorset Enterprise & Skills Awards.

TNG boldly scooped the Cobham-sponsored Company of the Year title plus six other awards including finance and best company report.

TNG's MD Sam Durley won the leadership award while Harry Smyth was named student of the year.

Students gained a taste of enterprise in the annual challenge by forming their own mini-firms.

TNG produced a compendium of Top Notch Games - including electronic dice - to sell as gifts at trade fairs in Amsterdam and around Dorset.

The TNG students from Poole Grammar School, Bournemouth School for Girls and St Edwards RC CE VA School, Poole sold £700 worth of products, making a £360 profit and also raising £150 for children's hospice charity Naomi House.

TNG was one of three DES companies honoured at the presentation ceremony at Lulworth Castle. The others were Acrylica (Bournemouth School for Girls, Bournemouth School, Poole Grammar School) and Veri Merri Cakes (Gryphon School, Sherborne).

Dorset Enterprise & Skills chief executive Karen Arnold said: "Every year I am overwhelmed by the commitment and the dedication of the students that we have the opportunity to work with.

"By the end of July we will have put 3,500 students across Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole through the enterprise programme."

She highlighted the importance of good hands-on vocational training and also the careers opportunities that existed in the retail and hospitality industries.

Companies and organisations that supported DES and the students included: Abbey Life, B&Q, Castlepoint, Cobham, David Ousey Estate Agents, DEK, Dorset Business, Dorset HealthCare NHS Trust, Ferndown Leisure Centre, FirstAssist, Hart Marketing, Lloyds TSB, LSC, Marks & Spencer, Pizza Hut, Poole NHS Trust, Rubicon Staffing Solutions, Shape Technology, Stalbridge Linen Services, Sun-seeker and VWR International.