TT Club Supports Supply Chain Learning Initiative

TT Club announced its support for a unique learning initiative – Business on the Move.

The educational tool takes the form of a board game which is designed to be played at varying levels of complexity.  Consequently, it is suitable for primary and secondary school children as well as higher education students, management trainees and corporate continuous development schemes.  TT Club sees the initiative as an imaginative means to educate and inspire young people in the UK, motivating an interest in and comprehension of modern supply chains and the transport resources that service them.

Business on the Move has been devised by two former Business Studies teachers – Andy Page and Pat Smedley - who set up their Very Enterprising Community Interest Company in 2011 to create a versatile supply chain game that could be used by teachers across age groups, school subjects and ability levels. While aligned to the UK education system, the appeal of the game is such that there are no geographic or upper age boundaries.

In order to fund the project some 50 sponsors have given their backing.  TT Club is pleased to be part of this support that includes businesses from across the supply chain spectrum; major retailers transport and logistics service providers and financial institutions, all of which are represented in their appropriate role within the game.  The initiative had its formal launch to schools, teachers, the industry and media in London on the 27 June and Pat Smedley commented, ‘It was great to see so many sponsors actively involved at the launch.  They were able to experience first-hand not only the young people playing the game but also playing Business on the Move themselves.’

Peregrine Storrs-Fox is TT Club’s Risk Management Director.  He explains TT’s enthusiasm for the initiative, ‘The originality of the Business on the Move game and the learning environment it creates is tremendously appealing.  This is especially so in TT Club’s case as we value highly the dissemination of information about, and understanding of, the freight transport industry and particularly the risks involved. We were also excited at the opportunity to promote a greater awareness among younger people of the crucial role supply chain services play in today’s global economy, encouraging them to become part of this vibrant industry as a career.’

There are a number of levels to the game, each more challenging than the other, designed to interest and motivate different age and skill groups.  At the highest level supply chain company trainees and executives have been using it to hone their management skills and as an alternative ‘bonding’ exercise. To date, nearly 600 young people have played Business on the Move, with another 15,000 school children projected to play over the next 12 months. Sponsors and other affiliates will be nominating schools to receive the games and full instruction free of charge.

The aim of the game is for players to move different products from China to their customers by land, sea and air, as quickly, as profitably and as responsibly as they can. In so doing, they are faced with taking decisions similar to those made regularly by many businesses, such as: ‘How do I meet the delivery deadline?’ … ‘Will I make a profit?’ …. ‘How can I improve my supply chain?’ and ‘How can I cut my carbon footprint?’

‘As the originators Andy and Pat have proven’, concludes Storrs-Fox, ‘This sort of active learning improves students' understanding and retention of information and can be very effective in developing higher order cognitive skills such as problem solving and critical thinking.  The TT Club is delighted to be a part of this active learning process.’