Our Year 11 and 12 Business students recently had the opportunity to go behind the scenes of two significant businesses, gaining valuable insights into business functions and exploring where these organisations fit within the business life cycle.
Year 12 at Dreamworld
In Week 4, the Year 12 students attended a tailored masterclass at Dreamworld. They learned about the theme park’s recent repositioning, along with the marketing strategies implemented during this transformation. Hearing firsthand about the reasons for the change, the company’s new vision, and its future strategies was invaluable – particularly as students prepare for their final external exam on repositioning a business.
After the masterclass, students were challenged to design their own repositioning plan for “Dreamworld 2030.” Being on-site made it easier to see both the park’s strengths and its opportunities for growth. Of course, no visit to Dreamworld would be complete without a little adrenaline. For some students, the Madagascar ride was their first-ever rollercoaster, and they immediately followed it up with the infamous Taipan rollercoaster, marking their very first thrill ride! It was an unforgettable act of courage and a way to step out of their comfort zones! This excursion was the perfect way to wrap up three years of Business studies, leaving students with both meaningful academic insights and lasting personal memories.
Year 11 at Costco and Westfield North Lakes
In Week 5, our Year 11 Business classes toured Costco’s massive warehouse before completing a “Behind the Shopfront” challenge at Westfield North Lakes. While students may have been most excited about the famous Costco cafeteria, they were surprised by just how much they learned on the tour.
Students gained insider perspectives on inventory management, product positioning, pricing, and supplier strategies, as well as product lines, turnover, profit margins, membership models, and competitive forces. Experiencing these strategies in a real-world context transformed abstract textbook concepts into concrete examples they can draw upon in future learning.
At Westfield, students applied their knowledge to identify businesses at different stages of the business life cycle and analyse strategies such as target marketing, location, competition, and branding. IKEA proved to be a particularly rich example, with many strategies on display. By viewing these businesses through an analytical lens rather than simply as consumers, students deepened their understanding and built stronger, longer-lasting connections between theory and practice.
Both excursions highlighted the importance of taking learning beyond the classroom. Whether it was analysing Dreamworld’s repositioning or uncovering the strategies driving Costco and businesses within Westfield, students saw firsthand how theory translates into practice. These experiences not only strengthened their understanding of business concepts but also inspired them to think critically and creatively about the world of business.
Tanya Cullen, Head of Business and Information Technology