Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 08/Oct 15:17

Shell TT sponsors virtual entrepreneurship competition for students

A TOTAL of 128 teams, comprising secondary school students from forms 4-6, will participate in a six-week digital business simulation as part of the National Secondary Schools Entrepreneurship Competition (NSSEC). The teams will run virtual companies which will then be judged on their financial performance, manufacturing efficiency and market performance, among other criteria. The teams will compete to top the leader board for prizes including laptops, tablets and a challenge trophy. The simulation is meant to allow students with an interest in business and entrepreneurship, to develop practical skills and expand on what they have learnt in the classroom. [caption id="attachment_1183165" align="alignnone" width="1024"] THE SKY IS THE LIMIT: Shell TT's corporate communications advisor Kelli-Marie Patel speaks at the launch of this year's National Secondary Schools Entrepreneurship competition on Tuesday at NAPA, Port of Spain. Photo by Faith Ayoung[/caption] At the launch on Tuesday at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port of Spain, NSSEC's premier sponsor Shell TT's corporate communications advisor Kelli-Marie Patel said entrepreneurship is not just an alternative path, but a career choice and mindset, that forms part of the region’s creative identity. “Long before the word entrepreneurship was fashionable, our people were already living it. The innovators who turned oil drums into the steelpan, the creatives who reinvent Carnival year after year, turning culture into industry and art into opportunity. Innovation, to quote our own Mical Teja, is in we DNA.” Patel encouraged students to embrace the opportunity and use their creativity and tools like social media to build their own businesses, as was the case with many participants of NSSEC competitions held over the past nine years. [caption id="attachment_1183166" align="alignnone" width="1024"] DANCING QUEENS: Lithe dancers from Spirit Academy perform at the launch of the National Secondary Schools Entrepreneurship Competition on Tuesday at NAPA, Port of Spain. Photo by Faith Ayoung[/caption] She noted the programme’s ability to deliver over 45,000 hours of direct training which positively impacted 4,500 students in that time. Manager of Massy Foundation, Adele Rose, said despite the prevalence of artificial intelligence technology in business, students should see AI as a tool and not a threat to their creativity. “It can be our business partner, yes, but (in terms of a) business owner...that’s where you come in. That’s the relevance and currency by which programmes, such as NSSEC, are backed, even with much unease over what AI will replace, entrepreneurship still remains a strong possibility for us all. "In the local context, the calls for economic diversification and an ongoing injection of fresh ideas into our business sectors are louder than ever and NSSEC will be the spark." Reflecting on his personal business experience, director of the company 3 Stone, David Stone, spoke on the importance of resilience and consistency in business development regardless of the challenges. [caption id="attachment_1183169" align="alignnone" width="1024"] TERRIFIC TEJA: Performer Mical Teja gave an energetic performance during the launch of the National Secondary Schools Entrepreneurship Competition on Tuesday at NAPA, Port of Spain. Photo by Faith Ayoung[/caption] “Every venture starts off as just an idea. Let’s take a look at NSSEC. Ten years ago, we came up with an idea for a secondary school entrepreneurship competition. We planned for many months and were ready to pitch it to sponsors. We had a well thought out 21-page proposal and a dream. “The success of this dream however, started many years before. If we didn’t start multiple businesses and were not entrepreneurs ourselves, would any sponsor be interested? If my brother didn’t give his blood, sweat and tears for six years to obtain a PhD in Entrepreneurship, would we have a chance?" [caption id="attachment_1183167" align="alignnone" width="1024"] YOUTHFUL EXUBERANCE: Excited Bishop Anstey High School students enjoy the performance of Mical Teja during the launch of the National Secondary Schools Entrepreneurship Competition at NAPA. Photo by Faith Ayoung[/caption] Stone continued, "We built up credibility in the previous years that added sponsor confidence.We also received many rejections from both sponsors and schools in the lead up for our first year. But once again, we remained persistent in turning the dream into a reality. And here we are today, nine years later, with the same sponsors who believed in the idea from the beginning and another year of being fully subscribed.” Other sponsors of the NSSEC include The Guardian Group, First Citizens, and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Students will be placed into one of 16 divisions managed by the sponsors.   The post Shell TT sponsors virtual entrepreneurship competition for students appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.