At Leysin American School, we are passionate about nurturing partnerships with companies that offer our students immersive learning experiences. Experiential learning is at the core of our educational philosophy, as it empowers our students with practical, real-world insights. In the past, we have partnered with brands such as Horizonte Coffee, Les Trois Terres Vineyard, Cadesio Chocolates, and Goldfinger Design, to name a few. The workshops with these companies provide irreplaceable insight into entrepreneurship and allow students to gain hands-on experience in different fields.
Schenker Storen, a company owned by a member of the LAS Global Family, reached out to us and offered a trip to their factory to see how their business is run. Schenker Storen is a Swiss company that was founded over 140 years ago. They provide a wide range of indoor and outdoor sun and weather protection solutions, and the company has development, production, sales, and service departments, which is rare within companies of its kind. With multiple locations across Switzerland, our IB Business Management students were given an exclusive opportunity to delve into the company’s operations.
When the students arrived at the headquarters, they were greeted with an introductory talk and tour of the factory. This was really interesting, as they were shown the entire production process of their blinds and shutters. Seeing this visually, rather than just learning about the process in a classroom, allowed our students to translate their knowledge and apply their studies to real-life examples.
After lunch, LAS students carried out presentations of their own to the company’s owner, CEO, CFO, COO, and Marketing Manager, where they analyzed Schenker Storen’s social media strategy and used their business and marketing knowledge to provide solutions and ask questions. Gaining feedback from professionals in the top positions within the company was incredibly insightful for our students and inspired them to think about their own futures and how their studies can apply to their aspirations. Students also completed a SWOT analysis with the company’s executives, which involved looking at Schenker Storen’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The students really engaged with this task and learned a lot about running a successful business.
Through this partnership, LAS IB Business Management students have learned a lot about business operations and will carry this knowledge with them as they continue on their academic journeys. This experience is something that cannot be replicated in classroom-only learning, and so we are really grateful to everyone at Schenker Storen for providing our students with so much new knowledge and inspiration!
