By Ms Michelle Nazzari, Secondary School Teacher

During lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, the highly anticipated annual Trade Fair took place in the Library Quad on campus. Year 9 international commerce students have been learning about government and politics, law, economics and business this semester and this gave them the opportunity to put it into practice.

The students learnt business concepts, entrepreneurial skills and marketing techniques before groups formed small businesses. Each student was loaned $20 and group members pooled their money with the option of contributing $5 per member to their startup capital to spend on buying materials to produce their goods for sale at the Trade Fair.

Some of the items on sale included jewellery, candles, heat packs, trinket trays, posters, artwork, mini skateboards, personalised sport-themed recovery equipment, terrariums, phone cases, slime and more.

Prior to the fair, groups submitted a business report for assessment where each group member took on one of the following roles: Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Marketing Manager, Production Manager and Human Resources Manager. Classroom learning merged with the need for each student to research the responsibilities of each role and teach their group to enhance the chances of success.

The meaning of success varied for each group. For some the focus was on profits, while for others it was showcasing their marketing skills or embracing the People, Planet, Profit mantra in a sustainable way.

The $20 loan repayments, rent and 30% company tax were deducted before talks of whether each business broke even or made a profit. The collected rent money and company tax amounts will be donated to Carers ACT, in honour of the late Radford College staff member Miss Jo-Anne Flatley-Allen’s pivotal contribution to the creation of the international commerce course and the evolution of the Trade Fair.

Thank you to everyone who came to support the students.