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Year 12 Controlled Assessment visit to Ballytrim Sawmill.
Ballytrim Sawmill is owned by Mr Clarke Cunningham. The Sawmill was established in 2000 and since then, has developed into a one stop shop for people building homes. Working with home grown and select European hardwoods, the company specialises in offering the finest quality handmade and crafted products for both the home and commercial businesses.
As part of the Business Studies controlled assessment, pupils were expected to research the company and in particular find out about the following areas:
- The factors of production and the main types of production evident within Ballytrim Sawmill.
- The stakeholders involved in the business and also how conflict can arise.
- The impact of technology within the business.
- The importance and relevance of training for the business.
The Year 12 pupils were met by Clarke and given a tour of his premises. They were shown the initial storage facilities where the raw materials were stored and where then given the opportunity to see the air drying process taking place. They were then shown the kiln drying process along with some of the other machines and equipment that are used in the manufacturing process. After being taken into the main show room and given the opportunity to view some of the bespoke furniture on display, the pupils were given an overall presentation, followed by a question/answer session. This gave the pupils the chance to increase their overall knowledge of the business and to find out more about Clarke as an entrepreneur.
The pupils gained a lot from this visit and benefitted greatly from the chance to see a successful local business in operation. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Clarke for taking the time to show our pupils around and to assist with the completion of their controlled assessment.
