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Media Release
1 July 2008 For  immediate release

Education for Enterprise underway

Classes of young college students have been checking out the city’s retailers to investigate marketing and customer service as part of a new Enterprise programme managed by Partners Porirua.

The programme was launched in May to a meeting of business leaders and entrepreneurs who heard about the Ministry of Education’s new curriculum which is focused on developing enterprising and innovative students. This programme which sees enterprise become part of the school curriculum is being managed locally by Partners Porirua, which promotes education and business relationships.   Porirua College, Aotea College, Bishop Viard College and Samuel Marsden Whitby are participating.

The programme teaches students the skills they need to be in the workforce such as self management, communication skills, positive attitude and the importance of lifelong learning.  Enterprising attributes such as identifying opportunities, generating creative ideas, problem solving and planning and organising will be fostered. It complements existing programmes like Gateway and Partners Porirua’s own programme which assists young people in their transition to the working world. The enterprise programme introduces the students to business people who share their stories of enterprise and challenge.

So far the students have heard about the importance of communication, marketing and customer service from business leaders involved in hospitality, transportation, the service sector and fundraising. Many of the presenters have been nervous about sharing experiences that are not necessarily positive but are happy to talk about why they created their businesses. Heather Newell who runs a fundraising consultancy said “the students I talked to from Samuel Marsden were very keen to participate and asked plenty of relevant questions. If these are the entrepreneurs of the future – then our future is looking very bright!”
Enterprise workshops are being hosted by Eddie Ellison, himself a business person. During the one day workshops students are introduced to the main concepts of business and then they hear the story of a business leader. To put the theory into practice they visit the retail sector of Porirua to take note of how the theory works and report back as a group.

Back in the classroom some students will write a business plan for a project of their own choosing, while others will be involved in developing projects around website development or tackling local issues such as recycling or enhancing the environment. 

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