An experience like no other

This year was a year like no other for a number of students participating in the Junior Achievement Young Enterprise experience (JAYE).

United and forming a brand, students from various schools came together to set up their own company, developing diverse products while hitting the local market with their innovative approach.

Rewined, this year’s winning company, developed a groundbreaking product – a flattened wine bottle to be used as a platter. The team was revolutionary in the way it managed to reintroduce what was once trash into a stylish accessory for the dining table.

At the Maltese Young Enterprise finals, last year’s Lasallian company won Best Marketing Award, Best Future Potential Award, Best Quality Award, Best Finance and Profitability Award, as well as Company of the Year Award, which took the team on a new adventure – the European finals in Cagliari, Italy.

Rewined boasted a professional, corporate image and a successful year. The team was overjoyed when it landed the HP Most Responsible Company of the Year award. This accolade is given to the company which best keeps in mind society at large, and which develops success around the struggles in the community, giving back to those in need and sharing that success.

Students participating in the Young Enterprise experience have gained an abundance of knowledge and expertise. They have learnt more in this intensive year of work than was possible for them to learn anywhere else. A true learning-by-doing experience, which is the organisation’s fundamental motto.

They have absorbed the tricks of the trade needed to operate in today’s fierce business world, and have acquired the knowledge necessary to put them ahead of other future entrepreneurs.

Young Enterprise is an extra-curricular activity during the first year of Sixth Form, whereby students develop and gain skills which will be useful not only now but throughout one’s working life.

Young Enterprise has made these students’ lives busy and full of energy. The sense of satisfaction felt when their product was accepted so well was an experience for life and one which alumni look back on with nostalgia.

The following testimonials confirm the valuee of this experience:

Winston J. Zahra, CEO, Island Hotels Group: “My experience with YE as adviser and judge brought me into contact with young individuals who clearly learnt a great deal from their participation in the programme.

“YE enables individuals to not only put theory into practice but to also learn valuable lessons about important aspects of teamwork, financial management and presentation at an early age.”

Andrew Borg Wirth, managing director, Rewined: “I set out to make the best of this experience and YE is really as good as you make it. The hands-on nature of each activity and the satisfaction after each fulfilled task instill within each achiever a feeling of what to expect in the business world.”

Andrew Mangion, chairman, EC Group: “While schools help build up a student’s academic prowess, I have never seen anything as powerful or hands-on as YE to help build the real-life skills of entrepreneurship and business creativity.

“Would I attach more value to a prospective employee with YE experience. My answer is simple. Absolutely.”

Annika Formosa, director HR, Hilton Malta: “My YE experience was one of the most fruitful and enriching. From YE I learnt discipline and the value of going beyond what is expected.”

Anthony Ellul, who works in quality assurance in the toys manufacturing sector: “I feel pleased to have dedicated my time and real business experience to empower students on the doorstep of employment to what is considered good practice to run a business. I did it and will do it again.”

Antoinette Caruana, HR manager, Farsons Group: “We not only need more young people who are encouraged to develop their own companies but professionals who are creative and entrepreneurial in the way they carry out their roles.”

David Pace, KPMG sales manager, String ’n’ Ring, St Aloysius’ College YE company, 1995: “My YE experience was truly a trip towards self-discovery. It offered me a formidable mix of character formation, team working, goal setting and stretching moments all packaged with some great fun.

“I got a glimpse of the business world and started to learn what works and what doesn’t.”

Helga Ellul, president, Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry: “The Junior Achievement YE programme develops a positive attitude towards entrepreneurship. It encourages students to consider business as an option rather than being employed.”

Joe Gerada, CEO, Foundation for Human Resources Development: “Learning by doing is the way forward in business. These young entrepreneurs are lucky to experience the real situation of growing a business while having the comfort of experts who can guide them, coach and mentor them within safe parameters.”