Tomorrow's business leaders
24 February 2015
Cardiff Business School hosted an interactive conference and tour for more than 70 Year 12 pupils from schools in Cardiff and the surrounding area on Wednesday February 11th 2015.
The event was held at the University's brand new, multi-million pound, Postgraduate Teaching Centre, a facility designed to provide the very best teaching and learning environment for tomorrow's business graduates.
Pupils from Cardiff and Vale College, Caerleon Comprehensive, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr were welcomed to the event, titled 'Where you can go with Business', by Professor Martin Kitchener, Dean of Cardiff Business School.
The event forms part of Cardiff University's Schools Partnership Project, which is aimed at enhancing and improving engagement with secondary schools and their pupils. It was funded by the UK Research Council.
During the course of the half-day session the pupils enjoyed a lively mock lecture, a tour of the new facility, including the state-of-the-art Trading Room, and an animated panel Q&A with academic staff and student ambassadors.
The Trading Room workshop proved the highlight of the day, providing pupils with an opportunity to experience the buzz and intensity of the trading floor. Working in pairs – one as a media analyst and one as a trader – they 'traded' in stocks and shares using real data, choosing when to buy and sell and tracking their gains and losses.
Professor Martin Kitchener said of the event: "It's important to us, as a School and a University, to engage with schools and pupils directly, to open up the world of higher education to them and help them determine their future ambitions and career paths. At 17 and 18, choosing what to do, and what route to take, after School or College can be a daunting prospect.
He continued: "It's important to highlight the range of diverse career opportunities available, especially when choosing the Business route. Demonstrating the industries and sectors pupils could enter, from economics to accountancy and operations management to marketing and strategy, and making those careers real, is a valuable exercise. Hopefully the pupils who attended today enjoyed the experience, and walked away with a better understanding of what they want and how to achieve it."