Balfour Beatty joined our year 12 business learners to launch an exciting Employer Led Project exploring how ‘innovation and enterprise contributes to the success of a business.’ Oue learners were visited by Graduate Proposals Coordinator Elizabeth and Business Management Graduate Paige. 

Learners were split into teams and began with the session with a task to research Balfour Beatty and present what they had learnt to the rest of the class. After discussing some of the projects and values they had learnt about the company, our visitors began to discuss the role that innovation and digitalisation play in the advancement of their company. Some examples of innovation include using 4D CGI technology and VR for project planning and to showcase ideas to their clients. 

After our learners had gained insight into the innovative work Balfour Beatty have been developing, they moved onto the main task for the session: Conduct a Competitor Analysis on the innovation approaches of competitors Mace and Costain particularly focusing on Innovation in Health and Safety, Low carbon and Sustainable innovation, Data and Digitalisation and New onsite technology. With this research, learners had to compare competitors Mace and Costain’s innovative strategy with Balfour Beatty and outline three areas of improvement. With the support of our visitors, learners spent the rest of the session researching the competing construction companies. 

Learners were also given top presentation tips to ensure their ideas could be conveyed with the greatest clarity. 

Following this session, learners must collate their findings into a presentation and pitch their ideas to Elizabeth and Paige when our visitors return to the college.  

‘Our business learners are required to create and pitch a presentation about innovation and enterprise as part of their assessment. By using real companies to support our learners with this assessment, they are motivated to approach their presentations from a real-world context,' Sharian, business teacher.