Oulton Academy Students Design the Future of Retail

Students from Oulton Academy recently visited the Trinity Centre Leeds to participate in the launch of the Made in Yorkshire enterprise competition. Created by Landsec, the initiative challenges young people to reimagine the future of retail by developing innovative business concepts for vacant units within the city's premier shopping destinations.

Understanding the Challenge

During the launch event, students met with representatives from the Ahead Partnership, a social enterprise that bridges the gap between education and the professional world. The team outlined the core goals of the competition, which focus on:

• Creative Placemaking: Designing retail spaces that benefit the local Yorkshire community.
• Employability: Building self-confidence and real-world business skills such as teamwork and public speaking.
• Innovation: Encouraging fresh, youth-led perspectives on the evolving high street.
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Thinking Green: Environmental Workshops

The day featured three intensive workshops designed to equip students with the tools needed to create a sustainable business proposal. These sessions specifically addressed environmental concerns in business, covering topics such as:

1. Sustainability and Responsible Consumerism: How businesses can reduce their carbon footprint
2. Environmental Design: Incorporating green technology and sustainable materials into physical retail spaces.
3. Community Impact: Ensuring that a business contributes positively to its local environment.

To wrap up the launch event, students were treated to an exclusive "behind-the-scenes" tour of the Trinity Centre. This unique walkthrough allowed the group to see how one of the UK’s busiest retail destinations functions day-to-day, exploring staff-only areas that keep the centre running smoothly. Seeing the logistical and operational side of the facility provided the students with a deeper context for their competition entries, helping them visualize how their own business concepts might integrate into a large-scale commercial environment.

What's Next?

Following this inspiring launch, our students will now work in teams to finalise their retail concepts. Their hard work will culminate in a formal pitch to an expert panel in March 2026, where they will present detailed plans including branding, marketing strategies, and sustainability measures.

Oulton Academy is proud to support our students as they develop the skills necessary to become the business leaders of tomorrow.