A CLOTHING retail store concept created by Year 10 students at Hawkesbury High School was named the winning business idea during the school’s annual Australian Business Week program.
Year 10 students spent the week learning about all the steps involved in setting-up a real-world business, and presented their concepts by setting-up market stalls and hosting them during a trade show-style event.
PD.H.PE Coordinator Alexis Rutherford said the students made all of their companies’ decisions including stock allocations, operations expenditure, a marketing budget and how to finance each decision.
“This is a simulation designed by UTS. In a project-based learning expertise students learn teamwork, decision-making skills, learn why businesses need to employ individuals with certain skill sets, time management, stress management, self discipline, real world financial literacy, they work with technology just to name a few,” Ms Rutherford told the Gazette.
“Each day groups have a series of deadlines that they need to meet. These can include creating a company logo and business card, a video advertisement, a company report, and a presentation to be presented in the final day of the program.
“Additionally they attend a series of seminars throughout the week aimed at building their business skills. This is a wonderful experience for our students, which is overseen and coordinated by our amazing careers advisor Aaron Leggatt.”
The trade show was attended by all the pupils at the school on the day, and the hands-on learning program was judged by a selection of teachers and parents.
Sixteen-year-old Brooke Gibson was part of the winning group of students, for their business idea for a company called ‘2 Dye 4’. They focussed on selling a range of clothing for both men and women from the age of zero, upwards.
Brooke told the Gazette her favourite part of the week was making the t-shirts and putting together the market stall display.
“I learnt time management and also you don’t realise all the stuff that goes into having a business,” she said.
“I think it would be a good thing [to set-up a business in the future] - it was pretty enjoyable. It was a good insight into the business world.”
