Bringing Aycliffe Business Park Together | 21
2
4
“It’s tremendous to see a group of students that at the start have
nothing in common other than attending the same school make the
transition into a slick team, all working towards a shared goal. Just like
in the world of work!”
SMEs may argue it’s easier for larger companies like Ebac to afford
resource to FBM.
Try saying that to Trevor Forsyth, Managing Director of Inspection &
Engineering Services (IES), who has a small team based at Evans
Easyspace.
Trevor - while juggling the demands of running his highly-successful Ju
Jitsu Club in Aycliffe - worked with King James I Academy in Bishop
Auckland on this year’s competition and came third overall.
“It was a great experience, said Trevor. “Working with the kids, finding
”
out some of their ideas and encouraging them to develop their own
ideas and nurturing them to develop that.
“I think it’s massively important for businesses to get involved in things
like this, as well as hugely rewarding.
3
Their product was a clever device which would scan a QR code on food
products which would then automatically programme a microwave to cook
the food at the right setting and time.
Greenfield’s core leader on the group this year, ICT teacher Simon Tait,
told us: “We’ve had a lot of success in the past and it’s great for the young
people to carry on that legacy.
“To win most effective team was brilliant because they have put a lot of
hard work in and they did work brilliantly as a team.
“The competition is invaluable. The students can have a contact in the real
world and see how things work, and the businesses can come and see
what we’re doing in school and to have that interaction with the students,
it makes it all gel together.
”
Businesses of all shapes and sizes clearly see the benefits of getting
involved with FBM. Aycliffe manufacturers Ebac has been keen
ambassadors for a number of years, while recruitment firm Temp Team led
on Greenfield’s win last year.
Ebac Managing Director Pamela Petty told us: “I think it is really important
for local business and schools to know and understand each other, from the
head teacher and owner/MD to the teachers and managers to the students
and staff.
“The best way is for the students and staff to work together, and FBM
is a great framework for this to happen.
“Students get an insight into the different types of business there are locally
and the different types of jobs, by th