LEARN TO TRADE.
LEARN TO BUILD.
A practical introduction to real-world buying, pricing, selling, customer service and business thinking — designed around small, supervised challenges rather than classroom theory.
Small challenges. Real skills.
The programme is intended to be practical and staged. Participants learn the basics first, then take on supervised real-world trading exercises at an appropriate level.
Learn the basics
What makes something saleable? How do condition, demand, cost and risk affect value?
Research & price
Compare real listings and sold prices, understand margins and decide whether an opportunity stacks up.
Prepare & present
Learn cleaning, photography, descriptions, honest condition notes and how to present an item properly.
Sell & serve
Practice customer communication, negotiation, basic selling etiquette and handling simple questions.
Count the numbers
Track money in, costs, profit, stock value and why cash in the bank is not automatically profit.
Reflect & improve
Review what worked, what did not and how to make the next decision better.
Business skills you can actually use.
The focus is on transferable skills: judgement, communication, numeracy, responsibility, creativity and confidence.
Value spotting
Research products, compare evidence and understand why some items are strong opportunities and others are not.
Marketing
Take useful photos, write clear descriptions and learn how presentation affects buyer confidence.
Money basics
Revenue, cost, margin, profit, cashflow and the importance of recording what actually happened.
Customer skills
Communication, politeness, negotiation and dealing with people fairly.
Operations
Stock organisation, condition checks, packing, collection planning and keeping a simple process.
Responsible trading
Reuse, donation, honesty about condition and thinking about the wider impact of business decisions.
Interested in joining?
Tell FTC a little about the participant and what they would like to learn. We will contact you when the programme format, dates and spaces are ready.
Who is it for?
Young people curious about business, buying and selling, practical problem-solving or learning how a small trading operation works.