Student saves firm from bankruptcy

The company now boasts a successful website

A British A-level student on a two-week work placement has saved a printing company from bankruptcy after securing contracts worth up to $1m (£672,000), according to a report in the UK's Times newspaper.

The 17-year-old student - Adam Hughes - had hoped to gain hands-on experience in the world of business during his time at Martin Mulligan UK, which specialises in printing barcodes at its headquarters in St Helens, Merseyside.

Within two weeks, the pupil from St Edward's College in Liverpool had turned the company's marketing procedures around.

He put a new web-based ordering system for their products in place, helping them secure new deals in the lucrative overseas market.

Before, the company had relied on traditional methods of phone and mailshot for marketing its products, and was struggling to stay afloat.

"The effects were astounding both here and abroad," Martin Mulligan, the managing director of the firm, told the Times.

"We received an American order for $100,000 to supply bar code tags in several major airports."

"And now we expect to net more than $1m from the internet-based ordering system that Adam was solely responsible for," he added.

Mr Mulligan then offered Adam a post as head of marketing in the US branch of the company in Philadelphia.

But the student, apparently, turned his offer down, saying he was still set on pursuing his dream of a job in architecture.