Students get taste of business life

Shropshire students have had a taste of real life in the world of business as part of a special project involving a firm of international freight forwarders.

A-Level students from Shifnal’s Idsall School were able to put their theory into practice as part of the challenge set by Telford based Global Freight.

Four teams of two were briefed by the firm, which ships millions of pounds of freight around the world each year, to carry out a research project into the public perception of the business and analyse the firm’s website before presenting their findings.

The year 12 students competed against other classmates who had been set real life business challenges by two other local businesses. Each firm selected a winning team with the Global Freight winners, 17-year-olds Katie and Laura, emerging as the overall competition winners.

Teacher Dave Thomas said the initiative had given the students an important opportunity to work with, and for, an experienced successful business.

“I wanted them to have a real focus on market research, problem solving and presentation skills development whilst applying the theory learnt in the classroom to actual issues or areas of interest to each business,” he said.

“Each business made a presentation to the students who then went away and researched their brief before delivering their findings to the companies, which then selected a winner. It was a very successful project and hugely beneficial to the students.”

Global Freight’s managing director Nicole Gunter (pictured above) is a former Idsall School student and said she had been impressed by the high standard of the research and presentations.

“I am passionate about passing on practical business skills to the next generation and will really enjoy working with the students to help them develop their ideas and give them the benefit of my experience.

“These young people will be our future business leaders and I am very impressed with their drive and determination to succeed,” she added.