Yesterday, Mr Marler and Mrs Partridge took a group of Year 6-8 children on a trip to the global Headquarters of AJW Group. AJW Group is a world-leading independent aviation company. They support over 1000 airlines across 100 countries with parts, servicing and repairs. An incredible company, but not your typical school trip destination. For a PSB school who focuses on skills based, forward thinking education however, it was the ideal trip.
The pupils learnt about what AJW does as a company but also focussed on how a business of this size, works as one big team; every individual and department plays a crucial role. There are leaders throughout, responsible for decision making but without their team behind them, they are completely ineffective. The company constantly review, analyse and adapt their processes to ensure they are at the forefront of their industry and as they expand across the globe, ambition is at the heart of all they do.
Communication between teams is a crucial part of the company’s success. Pupils were encouraged to reflect on their own communication, collaboration and leadership skills and consider where they might fit into a company like AJW’s or any other successful team. We learnt about time constraints and the consequences of not meeting a deadline; the impact this could have on other members of a team in real life situations. Suddenly, deadlines for homework made sense!
When exploring the meaning of supply, demand and profit margins, pupil’s applied their maths skills to real life, immediate problems requiring immediate solutions. They considered how risk could impact business decisions when buying a product but, how risk can also be specifically calculated in the business world using the correct formula. However, this formula is designed and monitored by human beings with incredible skill and an understanding of their industry built up over years of hands on experience. Through learning about the different parts of an aircraft, children were also able to advance and develop their knowledge of a complex idea, challenging their ability to think and learn outside of a conventional curriculum, outside of a classroom, beyond what they would usually be ‘expected’ to understand. The incredible and impressive individuals who hosted us through the day showed how there were various pathways to and definitions of ‘success’. There is no ‘normal route’ to success but rather a variety of options depending on a variety of factors but one thing was constant throughout, passion is crucial. Although this trip may not fit into a conventional or traditional curriculum, it was inspiring and all of the children left revigorated!
