Telford College students star at Young Enterprise trade fair
Telford College students exhibited their products at a trade fair in the town’s shopping centre – and came away with two awards.
The eight-strong team have set up a business called Tokens of Hope, making and selling hand-made resin keychains as part of the Young Enterprise programme.
It works in partnership with local schools, businesses and volunteers to inspire and equip young people to learn and succeed through enterprise.
The students – Anam Naik, Elliott Ward, Shadday Chimanya, Luke Goddard, Vishal Khanna, Petra Bubencikova, Jessica McCormick, and Eva Osei-Mensah – set up a stand in Telford Shopping Centre for a Young Enterprise trade fair.
They sold products worth more than £100 – and won the award for best trade fair stand, and the award for overall most impressive business.
Teresa Fisher, regional educational partnerships manager at Young Enterprise, said: “The Telford College students were fabulous.
“They were the only team to do a rota of ‘staff’ so they were all involved in manning the stand, without anyone having long shifts. I think that helped their enthusiasm staying high all day. They also made the first sale of the day.
“Their stand was laid out and planned well, so the product was well displayed and looked appealing for the shoppers.
“For many students, engagement with the public is terrifying, but the students had positive body language, made eye contact and had smiles for all who passed by their stand.”
Shadday Chimanya, Tokens of Hope marketing manager, said the journey so far had been ‘immensely fulfilling’.
“We have significantly improved our communication skills through pitching our business to a panel of judges and engaging with a diverse range of customers.
“Additionally, we have developed essential problem-solving skills by conducting research and implementing quality control measures to ensure the production of high-quality keychains.
“The trade fair day proved to be a valuable experience, presenting us with numerous challenges, including rejections from some customers. However, we persevered as a team.
“We embraced the day as an opportunity for team building and were proud to win two out of six awards.
“Overall, our experiences have been both entertaining and educational, shaping us into the best versions of ourselves through the setbacks we have faced and overcome.
The next stage of the Young Enterprise process is on April 30, when the Telford College students will have another opportunity to sell at a ‘Shropshire Showcase’, before being interviewed by judges and delivering a presentation about their business and their journey so far.
Pic: The Telford College students running Tokens of Hope, as part of Young Enterprise
