The joinery students proved they had business acumen as well as practical skills when their enterprise, the Charity Woodwork Company, using wood donated by AC Timber of Ely, proved a soaraway success at the Gazelle Colleges Market Maker competition.
Pitting their wits as well as their product – beautifully hand-crafted iPad holders– against some of the best business-minded students in the country, the team of four was delighted with their third place win.
More than 300 teams took part in the competition, with the finalists facing a grilling as they pitched their businesses to a ‘Dragons’ Den’ style panel at the Institute of Directors in London.
CRC tutor Mark Piller said he was immensely proud of the successful students - Curtis Wood, Sam Brown, Liam Adams-Stock and Alex Theobald – who raise money for the East Anglian Children’s Hospices through their woodwork company.
“They did a fantastic job pitching the business to the judges, who loved the product and were really impressed by the charitable element. Everyone wanted to buy the iPad holders there and then,” he said.
“I’m very proud of them, and it is great to see construction students doing so well in a business competition. To come third in a competition which attracted 320 team entries is a phenomenal achievement.”
CRC Carpentry and Joinery staff Sam Keeble, Terry Self and Mike Worth helped the team prepare for the competition.
Image: CRC’s winning construction students Sam Brown, Liam Adams-Stock, Alex Theobald and Curtis Wood with their iPad holders
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