BUDDING PR professionals and advertising whizzkids from York’s Huntington School are set to compete with students from across Yorkshire by pitching their best marketing ideas to a tough Dragons’ Den-style panel.

The winning proposal will be used as part of Northern Rail’s 2011 summer advertising campaign.

The York-based company said its “Marketing and PR Challenge”, held in partnership with the Young People’s Enterprise Forum (YPEF), was giving teenagers aged between 16 and 19 a real taste of the business world.

“Teams will be expected to create a ‘business’ of their own and then come up with ideas aimed at encouraging 15 to 30 year olds to travel to the north’s top tourist destinations by rail,” said a spokesman.

They will try to produce a winning concept for their own radio or TV advert, a poster design and a PR campaign to highlight their chosen destination, before presenting their ideas to a panel of top marketing experts.

The winning team will see their work brought to life by Northern, as well as scooping a three month unlimited rail pass each.

Jamie Burles, commercial director at Northern, said: “This is the third year of Northern’s educational challenge to schools and we have been incredibly impressed with the high standards of previous entries.

“The challenge will offer a real head start to young people in York by giving them the chance to develop a professional response to a genuine marketing and PR brief.”