Beyond the Classroom
Business Academy
The Thomas Telford Business Academy is a highly successful centre of excellence with 21st Century facilities, building the employees of tomorrow. With the highest Business results in the region, the Business Academy offers a varied curriculum providing students with a wide range of opportunities to develop both academically and personally.
Why choose Thomas Telford Business Academy?
The Business Academy is an ideal choice for students keen to develop their employability skills in a professional environment. Working alongside one of the best student-facing careers departments in the country, we pride ourselves in supporting students to progress onto exceptional, high standard destinations. There are many opportunities open to students once they have successfully completed the course. Previous students have progressed onto business related degrees, while others have gone directly into employment and degree apprenticeships in areas such as finance, administration and management with employers such as Cap Gemini, Howdens Management Scheme, Deloitte, KPMG and Grant Thornton.
The TTS Employability Passport
The first-class resources and outstanding opportunities make the Thomas Telford Business Academy the only place for students to enhance their academic qualifications and their personal development from the moment they enter the building.
The strong emphasis on employability skills both in and outside of the classroom, focussing on core Employability Competencies through the TTS Employability Passport, means that the Thomas Telford Business Academy students are first choice with local and national employers. Our unique employer and university endorsed Employability Passport allows students to grow their confidence in communicating with employers and developing their all-important leadership and teamwork skills.
Our pledge is to give students entering the Academy an opportunity to reflect on their own skills and talents. Each Business Academy graduate leaves with a portfolio of evidence and experiences that will show growth and development. The experiences will support students to develop into well rounded community members ready to enter the next stage of their personal journey equipped with the vital skills that all employers look for.
Core Employability Competencies:
Communication encompassing:
- Effective written and verbal communication
- Effective use of ICT to communicate (inclusive of email, report writing and delivering presentations)
- Negotiation and persuasion
- Creativity
Critical Thinking encompassing:
- Financial awareness
- Organisation and planning
- Problem Solving
- Data Analytics
- Decision Making
Interpersonal Skills encompassing:
- Positive Attitude
- Resilience
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Self-management
- Time management
- Conflict Resolution
The Business Academy Course
Business Academy students offered a broad spectrum of academic opportunities to suit their learning styles. Lessons are delivered to the highest standards, in a new, purpose-built building. Lessons are taught by dedicated business teachers who have experience in the business world and provide real life context to all lessons.
Students will study a range of business-related topics including, but not limited to:
- Leadership & Management
- Operational performance
- Financial performance
- Human resource performance
- Business Strategy and change
- How Businesses work
- Marketing Campaign
- Personal & Business Finance
- Recruitment
- International Business
- Management & Decision Making
- Team Building
- Customer Service
- Pitching for a New Business
- Training and Development
- Market Research
- Work Experience
The course is a mixture of academic study and practical projects which are based on real workplace situations. The Business Academy places a huge emphasis on the importance of visits, employer talks and team building opportunities to enhance the students’ experience. Annual visits to New York City, Staffordshire University, and a wide variety of Employers, allow Business Academy students to gain vital Employability skills and leave the academy as well-rounded individuals, ready for life and work.
Employer Engagement
Employer engagement is an integral part of the Business Academy. Giving students the opportunity to network with a variety of employers, enhances their future prospects and supports development of communication skills. Our annual “question time” event allows students to get a deeper understanding of how different aspects of business’ work, how business leaders tackle problems and how universities view and support personal development and employer engagement.
Regular employer insight talks enlighten students to the different opportunities and career pathways available to them and how they can be accessed. Business Academy students are regularly invited into employer offices both locally and nationally, allowing students to get a real feel for life in the working world.
Enrichment Opportunities
The Business Academy prides itself on the wide variety of enrichment opportunities available to the students. From employer visits, university masterclasses, leadership and team building away days, residential trips and overseas visits to international cities like New York, students in the Business Academy are afforded world class opportunities to experience life beyond the classroom.
The popular annual trip abroad allows students to see first-hand how international businesses work. This includes potential trips to New York to get a behind the scenes tour of Macys, and a guided tour of the Wall Street financial district.
