YOUNG ACHIEVEMENT AUSTRALIA

Young Achievers

Young Achievement Australia offers Year 11 students invaluable experience through involvement in their Business Skills programme. Frensham students have participated enthusiastically in this programme in recent years, joining with students from other schools across the Southern Highlands. The students enjoy the 'hands-on' experience of running their own business, guided by mentors from the local community or local businesses.

In six short months, each group must sell shares to raise capital, elect a management team, research, design and produce goods or services to fill a profitable market niche, plan and implement quality systems in management areas, prepare business plans and an annual report, and then liquidate the company in order to pay dividends to the shareholders. Throughout the programme students tackle typical issues and challenges that confront commercial operations and develop enterprise skills such as decision making, negotiating, risk taking, creativity, communication and team work. During the programme students also participate in special events, including Trade Fairs and intensive Management Skills seminars.

Past involvement in the programme has seen Frensham students involved in producing and selling a range of products including lip gloss, jewellery, scarves, bandannas, clocks, coloured light globes and a celebrity cookbook.