THE PRACTICE FIRM FOR STUDENTS
Description
Project idea: The project intended to prepare the 11-th grade students from the high schools to become young entrepreneurs, self-employed or efficient employees, after graduating the high school. Over a 5 years period, each school year, a team of 20 students from all the high schools of Brasov have been selected to attend a practice firm simulation program concerning the firm start-up, its organization and current operation according to the economic profile they had chosen.
Every year, the 20 students organized in 2 practice firms of 10 employees each, went through the real life process from starting up a company to managing it and learning how to plan the activities, organize the process (planning, supply, production, marketing and sales), conduct human resources management, financial management and the monitoring and control activities. During the project development the students have participated to the training sessions on effective entrepreneurship, got involved in the simulation of the practice firms operation using a dedicated software, took benefits from the AIDC technical assistance and coaching and had as mentors companies of Brasov performing on the economic fields they were interested.
Every year, the 20 students organized in 2 practice firms of 10 employees each, went through the real life process from starting up a company to managing it and learning how to plan the activities, organize the process (planning, supply, production, marketing and sales), conduct human resources management, financial management and the monitoring and control activities. During the project development the students have participated to the training sessions on effective entrepreneurship, got involved in the simulation of the practice firms operation using a dedicated software, took benefits from the AIDC technical assistance and coaching and had as mentors companies of Brasov performing on the economic fields they were interested.
A group of 100 students from 6 high schools of Brasov graduated the entrepreneurship training as part of Practice Firm project, 8 teachers became familiar with the vocational orientation for students in order to get them successfully integrated on the labor market of the local economy and in the next years 18 of the students started up their own businesses.
Practice Firms from different European countries have collaborated in the project: the students from high schools of Razgrad (Bulgaria), Armagh and Kilkeny (Northern Ireland) (Szombathely (Hungary) and Brasov (Romania). All the students attending the Practice Firms in the school year 2000-2001 have participated with their Practice Firm presentation and products to the Practice Firm Fair in Razgrad, Bulgaria, in June 2001.
Results:
- 100 students learned through an interactive approach (learning by doing), how to access the labor market as young entrepreneurs, putting into practice their business and/or innovative ideas and promoting the team spirită
- 8 teachers have learned about entrepreneurship interactive education approach and used this information during the tutoring and vocational orientation classes
- AIDC had collaborated with the University Babes-Bolyai from Cluj, which implements the Practice Firm system for students since 1998
- 13 Brasov based companies of different economic profiles (marketing & publicity, art furniture, food industry based on potato processing, financial audit, event organization, IT-website design, media- local TV station, tourist agency, psychologist office and publishing house) worked as mentors for the students and offered them internship during the summer holidays
Products:
- 5 series of the Young Entrepreneur Manual have been developed and distributed in the high schools (each group of graduates of the Practice Firm issued its manual containing the lessons learned and best practices)
- The software for the management of the Practice Firm was available to the high schools involved in the project and the students offered feedback, proposals for improve and complete the program in order to better serve their learning and skill development process
- The Practice Firms leaflets concerning the Practice Firm concept and its results for each group of graduates have been distributed to all the high schools of Brasov, the Teachers Training Center, Brasov Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the mentor firms and their partners.
- All the Practice Firms have developed their own websites that were operational during the appropriate school year
Impact:
Youth – The students of the High schools involved in the project
Youth – The students of the High schools involved in the project
- The students became aware by the opportunity to put in practice their business/innovation ideas by becoming entrepreneurs and acting efficiently and effectively on the market as managers
- The students understood the need to become active on the local economies and on the labor market (part time employment during the holidays) in order to learn and practice to become really performing professionals
- The teachers involved in the project have used the lessons learned from the operation of the Practice Firms to integrate the vocational orientation and the management basics in the current curricula (they analyzed the Practice Firm evolution during the tutoring and vocational orientation classes)
Financing
The BRAKS Project was financed by the European Commission for the school year 2000-2001. For the next years, 2001-2005, the project run without financial support, based on the volunteer activity of AIDC and its partners: the Municipality of Brasov, the high schools of Brasov, the Brasov Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the local companies.
The BRAKS Project was financed by the European Commission for the school year 2000-2001. For the next years, 2001-2005, the project run without financial support, based on the volunteer activity of AIDC and its partners: the Municipality of Brasov, the high schools of Brasov, the Brasov Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the local companies.
Partners
5 local governments : Municipalities of Braşov (Romania), Razgrad (Bulgaria), Szombathely (Hungary), Armagh and Kilkeny (Northern Ireland)
6 High Schools of Brasov : Andrei Şaguna National College, Unirea National College, Dr. Ioan Meşotă National College, Energetic High School Braşov, Economics High School Braşov, Arts High School Mattis Teutsch Braşov, Urban Planning and Construction High School Braşov, The Forestry High School Braşov, Natural Science and Ecology High School of Brasov.
13 Braşov based companies having the following profiles: marketing & publicity, art furniture, food industry based on potato processing, financial audit, event organization, IT-website design, media- local TV station, tourist agency, psychologist office and publishing house.
5 local governments : Municipalities of Braşov (Romania), Razgrad (Bulgaria), Szombathely (Hungary), Armagh and Kilkeny (Northern Ireland)
6 High Schools of Brasov : Andrei Şaguna National College, Unirea National College, Dr. Ioan Meşotă National College, Energetic High School Braşov, Economics High School Braşov, Arts High School Mattis Teutsch Braşov, Urban Planning and Construction High School Braşov, The Forestry High School Braşov, Natural Science and Ecology High School of Brasov.
13 Braşov based companies having the following profiles: marketing & publicity, art furniture, food industry based on potato processing, financial audit, event organization, IT-website design, media- local TV station, tourist agency, psychologist office and publishing house.
Project implementation period:
1 September 2000 – 15 June 2005.
1 September 2000 – 15 June 2005.
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