Students put through their paces on a business ‘assault course’...
A-LEVEL students from Loughborough College took part in a business ‘assault course’ to prepare them for the rigours of working life, putting them through a series of tough exercises demanding teamwork, problem solving and even a ‘Dragons Den’-style presentation.
The two-day challenge was developed by the college but was originally the brainchild of Rachel Morris from East Midland-based British Gypsum.
British Gypsum is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of interior lining systems including plasterboard, and create a range of different products from their sites in East Leake and Barrow-upon-Soar.
Students were given tasks from creating a paper aeroplace that would fly the furthest to pitching a proposal of how British Gypsum should change how it sells its products to support a growing market for modular homes, in a ‘Dragons Den’ style interview.
The judging panel agreed the quality of ideas and presentation were both very high. British Gypsum marketing specialist, Paul Howard, said the teams’ proposals were impressive given the task set was a genuine business challenge with real complexity in terms of political, economic, social, technical and business dimensions.
He said: “While all the teams produced viable business proposals based on in-depth market analysis, the winning team came up with a strategy that I would actually be very happy to propose for our business.”
Yasser Arif, a lecturer at Loughborough College said: “Students were able to analyse key issues which could be affecting British Gypsum in the scenario given, and articulate these in an effective manner.
“And as the students had to wear suitable business attire, work to tight deadlines and present to industry experts, this really changed their mind set and they were forced to adapt their approach from that of a normal lesson.
“This motivated them to try and succeed – and they realised that in order to do this they had to work together to plan, research and prepare their arguments,” he added.”
The judges finally settled on the winners, a team comprising Loughborough College students Katie Moore, Magda Lew, Jennifer Bood, Nathan Hayden, Nathan Walsh and Hardeep Singh.
The team will receive a VIP visit to British Gypsum’s East Leake site as a prize, where the company has a gypsum mine and manufacturing plant, as well as a facility to give visitors the chance to turn their hand to some plastering themselves.