Develop the commercial skills to identify opportunities, build professional relationships and support sustainable business growth.

JSTA’s Business Development programme gives participants practical exposure to how organisations research markets, connect with potential customers and partners, develop new opportunities and turn ideas into structured growth plans.

Building Business Growth Skills

Duration: 3 Months | 6 Months | 1 Year
Format: Initial Training | Individual Business Tasks | Group Challenges | Hybrid Working Module
Group Size: Up to 10 participants

Participants start with essential training in business development before working on individual research and group-based commercial activities. The Hybrid Working Module introduces virtual client meetings, professional communication, collaborative planning, digital business tools and managing opportunities remotely.

What Participants May Do

Participants can gain experience with activities associated with Business Development Assistants, Sales Support and Junior Business Development roles, including:

• Researching businesses, industries and target markets
• Identifying potential customers, partners and opportunities
• Building and maintaining prospect lists
• Conducting competitor and market research
• Preparing professional emails and introductory communications
• Supporting proposals and business presentations
• Maintaining customer and prospect information
• Participating in business meetings and discussions
• Following up on potential opportunities
• Supporting customer and stakeholder relationships

As participants progress, they may explore more advanced responsibilities such as lead qualification, market segmentation, partnership development, sales pipeline management, commercial proposals, negotiation, growth planning and evaluating new market opportunities.

What Candidates Can Learn

JSTA’s existing programme introduces participants to a broad range of business development areas, including market analysis, sales and marketing, financial analysis, strategic planning, partnerships and negotiation.

Market Research & Opportunity Identification
Learn how to research industries, understand market trends, analyse competitors and identify potential areas for business growth.

Sales & Customer Development
Explore how organisations identify prospects, understand customer needs, communicate value and develop long-term customer relationships.

Partnerships & Professional Relationships
Understand the importance of building relationships with customers, partners and stakeholders—an area specifically highlighted in JSTA’s existing programme.

Strategic & Commercial Planning
Learn how organisations evaluate opportunities and develop strategies to expand their reach, improve performance and support sustainable growth.

Negotiation, Leadership & Communication
Build confidence in presenting ideas, communicating objectives, negotiating effectively and working with different stakeholders. The existing programme also highlights leadership, communication and resource management as important business development capabilities.

Practical Business Development Projects

Participants may apply their learning through realistic commercial and organisational projects such as:

• Market Opportunity Research – Investigate a sector and identify potential areas for growth
• Prospect Development Project – Research and organise potential customers or business partners
• Competitor Analysis – Compare organisations, services and market positioning
• Business Proposal – Develop a professional proposal for a potential opportunity
• Partnership Project – Identify suitable organisations and develop an approach for collaboration
• Growth Strategy Challenge – Recommend ways an SME, charity or social enterprise could reach new audiences or markets

Where appropriate, participants may contribute to activities involving JSTA initiatives, SMEs, charities or social enterprises, providing greater understanding of how business development supports organisations in real working environments.

Developing Commercial Confidence

Alongside business knowledge, participants can strengthen research, communication, relationship-building, negotiation, strategic thinking, teamwork, presentation and commercial-awareness skills.

The programme can support pathways such as Business Development Assistant, Junior Business Development Executive, Sales Support Assistant, Partnerships Assistant, Account Executive, Commercial Assistant and other business-growth roles.

The existing JSTA page also highlights innovation and creativity as important drivers of growth, making the programme relevant not only to future business development professionals but also to entrepreneurs and individuals interested in helping organisations expand and develop.

Please Note: Our core mentoring, workshops and work-experience programmes are 100% free for eligible young people aged 16–25. We also deliver paid commercial training to businesses and individuals; 100% of that profit is reinvested into our free youth programmes.