When Lifetime came up with the idea of ‘Barnsley Businesses Inspiring Students’ just over 24 months ago, the ‘dream’ was that, in subsequent years, a young boy or girl would make a real success of their lives and turn round and say a BBIS talk had been the initial spark.

A student leaving school and going on to do something that they really loved – and carving out a good career – would leave those behind the BBIS project with a feeling of ‘job done’.

Said Lifetime Social Media Manager Andrew Lodge: “The BBIS came into being as a way of bringing schools and businesses together – and showing students that there are a lot of opportunites and career paths out there for them.

“If a student turns round in five years time and says they have gone on to do a job that they absolutely love, and that was down to listening to the story of a BBIS speaker at school, then I would deem the project a success.”

Well, small steps towards that BBIS aim were possibly taken at the Barnsley Digital Media Centre on Friday, April 15, when a group of Horizon Community College students (pictured below) showcased their new video game to various companies.

The young students had always had a love of gaming – but their dreams really began to take shape following one of the very first BBIS talks at Horizon, by Liz Paton and Jon Preston of Barnsley-based Tarnished Studios (pictured below).

After that talk Liz agreed to become a mentor to the group – and following numerous workshops has helped them set up their own company and start to come up with their own games.

Said Liz: “It’s amazing to think this all started with that little talk a couple of years ago.”