By Ewen McRae
Melton Christian College year 9 students are getting a taste of what it’s like to run a business.
Business studies students are spending May running a variety of small enterprises, learning about salesmanship and marketing, with half the profits going to a charity of their choice.
Organising teacher Nimmy Justus said the experience of running a business was valuable for the students.
“It is economics and business in practice,” she said. “By running these small businesses, the students get real-life skills like negotiating, record keeping … the main goal is to generate a profit, which is obviously important in the real world.
“Students in the classroom, in many subjects, will often ask, ‘How is this useful in real life?’ – so this is a practical way of answering that.”
Among the small businesses popping up are a carwash, cake stall, second-hand toys and T-shirts.
Ms Justus said students were learning tools that would be useful in many aspects of their lives beyond their business studies work.
“This is concerning business, but … it can be adapted to a family and learning how to manage their money,” she said. “You still need the income to be greater than the expenses – this is true in many situations in life.
“So far the students are doing very well. I’ve had my car washed by that particular group and they acted professionally and did a great job.
“It’s all a learning process for all the students – and they’re all learning from their mistakes and getting better each day.”
