What would you do with a plot of land inside the UK’s largest Freeport and access to £10 million in investment to make it happen?
That was the exciting challenge set for students at Middlesbrough College as part of the ambitious Freeport Futures Challenge, a real-world project delivered by the Tees Maritime Cluster in partnership with the College.
Designed to bridge education and industry, the initiative aimed to inspire future careers in the region’s maritime sector, bringing together T Level students from Engineering, Business, Marketing and Accounting to design an innovative new business capable of operating within the Teesside Freeport.
Students had to think like real entrepreneurs, carefully considering every aspect of launching and running a successful business. They explored everything from what problem their company would solve to who their customers and competitors would be and how their business would grow and succeed long term.
To make the experience even more realistic, each team was given a £200 budget to create a professional exhibition stand, complete with a pop-up banner and branded merchandise, ready to present their idea at the live Freeport Futures Expo.
The Expo, held at AV Dawson’s head office on Thursday 19th February, was a huge success, bringing together business leaders, educators and industry experts from across the region to see the students’ ideas first-hand.
Each team exhibited their business idea at their stand before delivering a live pitch to a panel of “Dragon”-style investors. Students confidently answered challenging questions, explained their financial plans and made a compelling case for why their business deserved funding.
The winning team, Shorelink, included Freddie Thompson and Lewis Metcalfe (Electrical Engineering), Suhail Amjed (T Level Marketing) and Sahar Mohammed (T Level Accounting).
Sahar explained: “Our business idea is an offshore delivery company designed to supply goods directly to offshore oil rigs and wind turbines. The service operates through a digital app where workers can order essential equipment, tools or personal supplies, which we would source and deliver.”
“We looked at the current economy of Teesside and what gaps could be filled. One member of our team suggested the offshore delivery idea, inspired by a family friend, and we developed it from there.
“We received some unexpected questions from the “Dragons”, but we handled them well. I really enjoyed the experience – it’s strengthened my ability to analyse business opportunities, create a solid business model and plan and apply my own knowledge to solve real-world problems.”
Freddie added: “I really enjoyed putting my creativity and skills to the test. Answering questions from potential investors was a great experience, and winning was the icing on the cake.
“The project has helped me develop leadership, business planning and social skills, which, as a T-Level Electrical Engineering student, will greatly benefit me in the future as I could end up working in lots of different types of businesses.”
The Freeport Futures Challenge represents one of the most ambitious collaborations between education and industry in the region. Kevin Jeffrey, Work Experience and Industry Placement Team Leader at Middlesbrough College, said:
“Working with Tees Maritime Cluster has given our students an incredible opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world experience – engaging directly with the businesses driving innovation, investment and growth across the Tees.”
By combining their technical skills with teamwork, creativity and real business thinking, our students showed just how powerful learning can be when it’s connected to industry.
And if the confidence, creativity and professionalism on display at the Expo are anything to go by, the future of Teesside’s maritime sector is in very capable hands!
