As part of my CAS creativity strand, I participated in two business case competitions, BizforHer and the Melbourne University Case Competition. During these events, my team of three was assigned real-world business problems that required us to analyse challenges and develop innovative, practical solutions. Since I am interested in pursuing a future in business, I saw this as an opportunity to gain hands-on experience beyond classroom theory. My goal was to strengthen my creativity, improve teamwork skills, and understand how businesses approach decision-making in realistic scenarios.

LO2 – Demonstrate That Challenges Have Been Undertaken, Developing New Skills

One of the biggest challenges I faced was learning how to think creatively under time pressure. Each case required research, idea generation, and strategic planning within a limited timeframe. Initially, I found it difficult to balance originality with practicality, as our solutions needed to be both innovative and realistic. Through this process, I developed new skills such as structured brainstorming, critical analysis, and presenting ideas clearly. I learned how to evaluate multiple perspectives before deciding on the strongest solution, which helped me grow more confident in my problem-solving abilities.

LO3 – Initiate and Plan a CAS Experience

These competitions required strong planning and organization. My team had to divide responsibilities, manage deadlines, and ensure that our final presentations were clear and well-structured. I contributed by organizing our workflow, managing time effectively, and ensuring that we stayed focused on the main objectives of the case. Balancing this experience alongside my academic workload also improved my time-management skills, as I had to priorities tasks carefully to maintain the quality of both schoolwork and competition submissions.

LO5 – Demonstrate Skills and Benefits of Working Collaboratively

Collaboration was a key part of this experience. Working in a group of three meant that communication and teamwork were essential to developing strong solutions. I developed my learner profile attribute as a communicator by actively listening to my teammates’ ideas, sharing my own perspectives confidently, and helping the group reach a balanced decision. I learned that effective collaboration is not just about dividing work but about building on each other’s strengths to create better outcomes. Through this process, I also improved my adaptability, as we often had to adjust our plans based on feedback and new insights.

Overall, participating in these business case competitions allowed me to explore creativity in a practical and meaningful way. The experience strengthened my communication, planning, and critical-thinking skills while giving me insight into real-world business challenges. It also reinforced my interest in the business field by showing me how creative problem-solving and teamwork play an important role in developing impactful solutions.