MOOSE JAW — Real clients. Real challenges. Real impact.
From sport marketing and international supply chains to accessibility and universal design, Saskatchewan Polytechnic Faculty of Business and Management students are proving their education is far more than word documents and spreadsheets.
Sask Polytech recently hosted its fourth annual Faculty of Business and Management student showcase, bringing together 66 students from across the province to share ideas, build connections and demonstrate the practical skills they’ll contribute to Saskatchewan’s economy. Working in teams, students representing all four campuses in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon presented 18 projects that tackled real-world challenges across a wide range of industries.
“This showcase is an incredible reflection of the creativity, collaboration and practical skills our students bring to the table,” said Kristen Craig, dean of the Faculty of Business and Management. “It’s inspiring to see how they’re applying classroom learning to practical and industry challenges, whether through employer partnerships or projects that tackle emerging trends.”
Projects spanned human resources, sport marketing, logistics, project management, procurement and hospitality, with many developed in collaboration with Saskatchewan organizations through work-integrated learning.
In sport marketing, one student team partnered with Hollandia Soccer in Saskatoon to conduct a comprehensive marketing audit. Their work examined existing promotional efforts, analyzed social media performance and produced a roadmap to support growth and deepen community engagement. Their proposal stood out for its creative yet practical solutions and offered real value to the community-based club.
Another sport marketing student group contributed to sport and community development, creating a partnership strategy to help the South West District for Culture, Recreation and Sport build momentum ahead of the 2026 Saskatchewan Winter Games. By identifying potential partners such as Youth Matter Canada and Cypress Motors Ford Swift Current, the students created activation ideas that ranged from youth-focused workshops to branded community events designed to build excitement and support.
“These projects give students the chance to work with real clients, solve real problems and see the impact of their ideas,” Craig said. “That kind of experience is invaluable and helps prepare students for their future careers.”
The showcase also highlighted Sask Polytech’s growing global connections. In an international work-integrated learning project, Logistics and Supply Chain Management students collaborated with partners from City of Glasgow College to design an export strategy for Saskatoon-based Black Fox Distillery. The task required them to create an end-to-end supply chain for exporting premium spirits from Saskatchewan to Scotland. By delivering a data-driven strategy for global expansion, the student group showcased exceptional skill in managing the intricacies of an international supply chain.
One Logistics and Supply Chain Management student team showcased its first-place entry in the 2026 Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) London Chapter Case Competition with a comprehensive turnaround strategy for a large international coffee chain. The challenge was to diagnose systemic supply chain failures and develop a modernization plan. The students responded with a multi-phase strategy built around a hybrid-core model and the strategic use of AI-driven analytics. By linking logistics decisions with cyber risk management and financial strategy, the team delivered a professional blueprint aimed at reducing stockouts by 30 per cent.
Not every project focused on profit margins or logistics maps. A Recreation and Tourism Management group took on an immersive, eye-opening challenge: navigating campus in a wheelchair for six hours. The experience included attending classes and participating in adaptive recreational activities such as wheelchair basketball. By experiencing firsthand the physical and mental demands of moving through standard spaces in a wheelchair, students evaluated universal design and accessibility through a more personal lens. Their findings emphasized the importance of proactive accommodation and inclusive service delivery, illustrating how thoughtful design can reduce systemic barriers in a community.
“It’s powerful to see students engage with learning in such a meaningful way,” Craig said. “Projects like this build empathy, professionalism and a strong sense of social responsibility.”
Beyond showcasing student work, the event was designed to connect students with employers and industry leaders, a goal Craig said is critical for Saskatchewan’s workforce. “Employers networking with students is an event highlight,” she said. “This is a great opportunity to learn about student projects that showcase the latest trends in business, technology and industry, along with exciting collaborations with employers.”
As students shared their ideas and industry partners shared insights, the showcase underscored the role Sask Polytech plays in developing career-ready graduates with the skills and confidence to make an impact across Saskatchewan.
Thank you to our awards sponsor Chartered Professional Accountants Saskatchewan and event sponsor RBC.
