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Company Program: In School

Develop Business Decisions and Leadership Skills

Company Program offers students the opportunity to make real business decisions, develop leadership skills, make new friends and have fun!

Company program has proven to improve employability, workforce readiness and awareness of new career opportunities.

This program is offered in two formats, Company Program: After School and Company Program: In School. For more information about registering your school or volunteering for Company Program: In School, contact your Regional Coordinator 

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Calgary & Area
East Central
Foothills
Lethbridge
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Grades 10-12
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3 hours per week between
6-9 pm
(Tue, Wed, or Thur)
18 weeks
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Learn the Risks and Rewards of Starting a Business

In this hands-on program, students learn the risks and rewards of starting a business and how to build positive relationships with the community. They will:

  • Solve real business challenges
  • Gather data, evaluate choices and create a plan
  • Learn how to incorporate their business
  • Capitalize by selling shares
  • Develop and market a product or service
  • Learn about teamwork, responsibility and business ethics
  • Appoint a management team that will best enable them to achieve their company’s mission
  • Maintain and analyze financial records
  • Set sales goals and make effective sales pitches

By the end of Company Program, students will understand how to run a successful business enterprise. This will give them confidence and empower them to become Canada’s future CEOs.

Teacher Info

COMMITMENT

  • 80% Attendance minimum
  • Minimum of 75 hours required to qualify for 3 high school credits
  • Break over the winter holiday

WHAT YOU WILL DO

  • Learn how to start up, manage as well as liquidate a business
  • Learn to raise start-up capital through shares
  • Learn how to write a Business Plan
  • Learn how to work with a budget
  • Students will decide on a business idea and start a business.
  • Students will write a Business Plan as well as a Shareholders Report

FEATURES

  • 5-6 volunteers from the business community will guide you and your team through the process of starting up a business and running it through to liquidation
  • Student teams will elect a 6 person executive team, open bank accounts, manage a website, develop and sell a product or service
  • The annual Company Program Tradeshow gives you the opportunity to sell your product in a retail environment
  • Compete against other teams for numerous awards, including Company of The Year
  • Students have the opportunity to attend the Business Development Workshop and Executive Training
  • Team photoshoot with a professional photographer!
  • Business plans, budgets, sales training, we cover it all
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BENEFITS

  • Access to local and national scholarship and award opportunities
  • Work with friends or work with students from across Calgary and area
  • Learn the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship
  • Develop key employability skills
  • Gain leadership skills
  • Improve communication skills
  • Build self-esteem and confidence
  • Potential to make money

Volunteer Info

COMMITMENT

  • Break over the winter holiday
  • Advisor training is provided yearly
  • A vulnerable sector police check is required, the cost of which is covered by JA when using our police check system

YOUR TEAM

  • You will be working with 5-6 other CP Advisors
  • Teams of students normally range between 15 – 25 students
  • With around 30 teams at different locations, there is a wide choice of teams to choose from
  • Option to host a team in your workplace with your staff, maximizing your company’s impact

TRAINING

Volunteers participate in a 3 hours training session

BENEFITS

  • Longer term mentoring gives you the opportunity to make a larger, more lasting impact on the life of a team of youths
  • Volunteer hours with JA can often be applied toward your designation and professional development
  • Work on your leadership, instructional, and public speaking skills
  • Unique team building activity. Teams of mentors are often from the same office or company.
  • Attend the Celebration of Achievement at the end of the program. One volunteer will receive the Advisor of the Year award.

Indigenous Info

The curriculum design of this program has been tailored specifically for high school Indigenous learners. Throughout the program, students work together to understand each stage of running business, and apply these principles by creating a small enterprise of their own. Significant content in this program is related to Indigenous business history and successful entrepreneurs from the Indigenous community. This program requires three (3) hours of course instruction per week for a duration of 10 weeks.

VOLUNTEERS

Your time commitment includes a 2 hour training session, and a morning or afternoon in the classroom. JA provides the materials and presentation supports, and you add your unique experiences, bringing the program to life!

TEACHERS

JA Indigenous programs were developed in consultation with Indigenous advisors. Programs are culturally relevant to the context and learning styles of Indigenous youth, and meet the curriculum needs as aligned with Alberta Education’s Framework for Student Learning.

Student Registration and Volunteer Opportunities

After School and In School: 

Calgary and Airdrie

In School Only: 

Bow West, Central Alberta, East Central, Foothills, Lethbridge & Area, Medicine Hat & Area, Southeast Prairie.

This program is a part of our Indigenous programming under the name Business Program.