JA Company Programme 2013-2014
The JA Company Programme is one of the largest youth entrepreneurial programmes in the world, working with over 350,000 young people globally every year. Since its inception in Hong Kong in 2003, it has provided many opportunities for students to form and set up mini companies as they would in the real world under the guidance of volunteer business advisors. The budding entrepreneurs get a taste of the business world through hands on experience such as finding shareholders, running the business themselves, taking on competition and all within the budget of $8000. The programme allows students to show their entrepreneurship, such as sales, finance and even IT, but most importantly leadership skills. As mentioned, the programme is not only training about business knowledge learning and exposure but also developing personal and interpersonal skills.
The theme that the company has chosen for this year was quite intrigued with the cultural integration theme, hence the company was named “Culture Shock”. And after many meetings, the students have agreed on a product, the “customized beanies”, which was in line with not only the theme but also the season, “winter”. Students decided on two variations for the products: for the conservative, a simple black beanie with the company logo, and for the daring, a company-designed African tribal beanie.
“All the preparation was leading up to the JA Company Programme Trade Fair, the most significant event of the programme. It pushed us into the harsh reality of the trading world. Not only were we competing with other schools, but we were also competing with ourselves through long grueling hours of conference calls, planning and executing plans for our business. The Trade Fair was quite exciting as this was a new experience for all of us. We are also very thankful to the Principal, Mr. Dion Chen, teachers and fellow schoolmates who came and supported us in the Trade Fair. They also bought many of the beanies!”, said one of the entrepreneurs of “Culture Shock”.
