Business Students Bring their Ideas to Widnes Market

Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Business students at Cronton Sixth Form had the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and work with real businesses, during a marketing consulting project at Widnes Market.
As part of their business course, the students are required to design a promotional plan and marketing materials for a small business. To bring their ideas to life, the students were given the opportunity to work as ‘marketing consultants’ with traders at Widnes Market.
Working in groups, each was assigned a local market trader as a client. The project involved interviewing the client to learn more about their business, their target market, business objectives and their range of products. They then had 4 weeks to prepare promotional materials for the client, which included; leaflets, posters, scripts for radio adverts, TV adverts (made with video editors), website designs and social media pages. The students then presented their work to the traders for feedback on their ideas.

Clive Middlehurst, from Middlehurst’s Butchers, is a well-established trader in the market and was “absolutely delighted” with the effort that students Patrick Nicholson and Lewis Astles had put in. Clive wishes to use the website and ideas that the boys have come up with over the next few weeks.
They have arranged a further meeting in March to discuss how to take the ideas even further, and have made £5,000 available in budget to do this. Clive commented, “I am very impressed with the professional approach to the job and professional looking website the students have created.”

The project has been a big success and Widnes Market Manager Sara Munikwa is keen to run it again next year.
Jo Martin, Head of Business at Cronton Sixth Form, said, “It makes such a difference when projects are live; it gives the students real work experience which strengthens not only their employability skills and confidence, but also their personal statements and CVs. It brings the subject to life and enriches the whole college experience which is the very essence of what vocational courses should offer. The students have also produced materials for the Halton Borough Council Stop Smoking Campaign and have worked to promote Widnes Market itself. These projects provide us with a unique selling point for students to choose us for their qualifications.”