EKC Folkestone College’s T Level Business students are putting their creativity and business skills to the test after being set a real-world project to help celebrate 100 years of Folkestone’s iconic Leas Cliff Hall in 2027.
As part of a new partnership between EKC Folkestone College and the much-loved local entertainment venue, students have been challenged to develop a comprehensive event proposal to help market the venue’s centenary celebrations.
The project offers students an exciting opportunity to take their classroom learning into the real world, working on a genuine brief for a local business and exploring what it takes to plan and promote a major event.
To kick-start the project, students visited Leas Cliff Hall last week for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour, giving them a closer look at the venue, the teams who make its events possible and the work that goes into bringing performances and celebrations to life.
Behind the scenes at Leas Cliff Hall
Guided by Katherine, Head of Marketing and Communications, Jasmine, Events Manager, and Daisy, Technical Buildings Manager, students explored areas of the venue that members of the public don’t usually get to see.
From the foyer and bars to the grand hall and stage, students discovered more about the spaces that welcome audiences throughout the year. They also ventured backstage to see where performers prepare before and after shows, gaining an insight into the technical and operational work that happens behind the curtain.
The tour continued into the Channel Suite, where the team explained how the venue hosts a variety of events, including weddings, parties, conferences and Christmas celebrations.
For the students, the visit offered a fascinating insight into the many different departments and responsibilities involved in running a busy entertainment venue.
Jack said: “We got to see behind the scenes, so if there’s a show we saw where they get ready, the foyer and bars. We got to see all of that during the day which most people don’t get to see, so that was really exciting.”
Thomas added: “It was really interesting to see what the public don’t usually get to see, to go behind the scenes of how the shows work and how they put them on.”
The scale of the building also came as a surprise to some students. Jack explained: “I was surprised about how many floors there were, I didn’t realise there was that many levels. I remember Kat describing it as a ‘Tardis’, you’d walk around and get lost.”
A real-world brief with the potential to make a difference
Following the tour, students gathered in the grand hall to hear the project briefing from Katherine, who introduced the challenge and explained more about her role and the work involved in marketing the venue.
The students will now develop their proposals, drawing on their creativity, business knowledge and understanding of marketing to explore how Leas Cliff Hall could mark its 100th anniversary in 2027.
This isn’t simply a classroom exercise. The venue is particularly keen to hear the fresh perspectives and imaginative ideas that young people can bring, with the strongest proposals potentially being used as part of the actual anniversary celebrations.
Katherine, Head of Marketing and Communications at Leas Cliff Hall, said: “The benefit of this project is that the students really get an insight into what it takes to put on an event like this. Obviously, a 100-year anniversary only comes around once every 100 years, so this is an opportunity for them to get real experience into an event that is going to be really big for the community, for the staff, celebrating everything the venue is, what it was, what it continues to be and what it will be in the future.
“It’s not just about marketing an event, it’s down to the staffing, risk assessments, the logistics of what is needed, budgets, everything like that. So, it’s a really tangible example of what we do day in, day out here.”
By introducing students to different teams across the venue, the visit also helped them understand how marketing works alongside the technical, operational and events teams to deliver successful experiences for audiences.
Building skills for the future
Projects like this are an important part of the T Level experience, helping students develop the practical skills, confidence and industry awareness they need to prepare for their future careers.
Rather than working solely with hypothetical business scenarios, students can apply their learning to a genuine brief, consider the needs of a real organisation and develop ideas with the potential to reach a wider audience.
For Isabelle, the opportunity to work on the project is also a valuable addition to her future career portfolio.
She said: “It will be great to put on our CVs for future job references, to show that we can market and advertise things, and show a good use of our creativity.”
Thomas agreed, highlighting the difference what working with a local business can make.
He said: “It gives us a good real-world project experience instead of just being sat in a classroom with a scenario, it’s a genuine project from a local business that’s trying to celebrate a historical moment.”
Through the project, students will have the opportunity to strengthen their communication, planning, creative thinking and problem-solving skills, while gaining a better understanding of the expectations and challenges involved in professional business environments.
Celebrating the past while shaping the future
Leas Cliff Hall has been part of Folkestone’s entertainment and events scene for generations, making its upcoming centenary a significant milestone for the local community.
By partnering with EKC Folkestone College, the venue is giving the next generation of business professionals the chance to contribute to this special occasion, while helping students connect their studies with the world of work.
With their project now underway, it will be exciting to see the ideas the students develop and how their creativity could help shape the celebrations for 2027.
Some of their ideas could become part of Leas Cliff Hall‘s 100th birthday celebrations!
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