Students at the Sharjah Higher Colleges of Technology (SHCT) experienced the reality of business, taking orders from shop managers and customers, when their vast sports complex was transformed into a mini-shopping mall for two days last week.
First-year business students manned and operated around 20 international outlets.
"This is the first year we've done something like this," said Aart Leeuwenburgh, Chair of the business and IT programme. "We've partnered with major retail outlets to open the students' eyes to the core aspects of the retail industry and linked it with what they learn on their courses," he added.
The event was the finale of an ongoing project which required students to research a chosen corporation to conduct comprehensive interviews with managers and receive customer service training.
Bottom-up approach
"In general these students look to start their careers at middle and high level management positions," said Leeuwenburgh. "This event will show them that to become a manager they must experience what happens on the shop floor at the grassroots levels of a business," he added.
He said starting at the bottom of the corporate ladder is what the project aimed to expose students to. "Typically, that would have been the message they received when they interviewed the managers," he said.
"There are many career opportunities within the retail industry and until now very few of our students move into this area, which is a major industry in the UAE," said Leeuwenburgh. Amnah Bin Took, Mahrah Ali and Aliah Sultan were given the job of working at one of the food outlets in the mini-mall and described their experience as "funny and interesting."
"I've learned a lot and am enjoying it," said Aliah. "I'm learning how to serve and deal with customers politely," said Amnah. "I would have never thought of doing something like this before but now that I have, I think of doing more of it," added Mahrah.
"Our teachers know we are not very patient and I've learned this kind of work needs a lot of it," said Lamia Abdullah, who was staff member at a shoe shop. "The hardest part is attracting customers," said her colleague Jameela Mohammad.
"The main thing I've gained from this project is confidence," said Munira Mohammad. "I've learned to speak to anyone and everyone and not be shy about it," she added.
The concept of shopping centres is nothing new to Emirati and expatriate youth living in the UAE. However, the work that goes on behind the scenes often gets overlooked from a consumer perspective. "Malls get students excited, it's something they recognise and a place they go regularly and what we've tried to do is show them the life behind it," said Leeuwenburgh.
