Young entrepreneurs get down to business

NOOSA District State High School year 11 students are about to get down to business as part of the annual Australian Business Week (ABW) program.
The one-week intensive program is now in its 13th year at the school and is designed to show students what it is like to run a multi-million dollar company and make decisions that have real outcomes.
ABW co-ordinator Alison Rexa said each team has all the usual challenges that companies face in the week the cohort is together.
“This year students will be running their very own resort simulation,” she said.
“With the help of business and teaching mentors they will discover the variety of skills needed to be part of a successful business in the 21st century.”
Through the week, teams of students will perform tasks having formed and named a company, with each student nominating for a role such as a general manager or marketing, operations or finance manager.
“They will work from an ABW manual covering the key business areas, making decisions about price, product, their target market, staffing and training,” Ms Rexa said.
“The 15 teams must also develop a marketing strategy and host a trade display complete with promotional material and produce a 30-second commercial featuring their business.”
The program will end with each team preparing a written company report about their company’s performance as well as deliver an oral presentation to an audience including business people.
“It makes for a full week but will leave each participant with some valuable skills and the courage to make a difference in their chosen field,” Ms Rexa said.
The program is possible thanks to the support of local business including the Cooroy Community Bank Branch of Bendigo Bank which has committed to supporting the program for another year.
Branch manager Geoff Edwards said the Community Bank is looking forward to providing mentoring support as well as financial assistance.
“Assisting in the mentoring process during ABW is all about giving the students help where they need it, but it’s mostly about watching the groups apply their ideas with their endless energies and talents,” Mr Edwards said.
“I encourage any business owner who hasn’t been to ABW to come along as some of these kids are going to make great employees for some of the coast’s top businesses in years to come.”
The ABW program will conclude with an awards ceremony at NDSHS to be held on Thursday 23 June from 7pm.
Trade displays will be open in the main hall from 6.30pm for families to view the students’ efforts.
To find out more about ABW or how to support the future of the program, contact the ABW program co-ordinator Alison Rexa at NDSHS on 5472 2234.