Grooming successful entrepreneurs through the Young Enterprise Program
Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, 18 July 2011 -- This year's Young Enterprise (YE) Program saw General Electric (GE), a corporate sponsor of the Program, host a presentation workshop earlier this month, as well as the return of the popular YE Sales Fair which was held at the Empire Shopping Gallery in Subang last weekend.
The Program, which has been running for the past 21 years, was introduced by the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in 1989 to encourage entrepreneurship and nurture the next generation of business leaders in Malaysia. It provides Malaysian youths with the chance to develop skills in teamwork, communication and leadership as well as gain insights into the workings of the business world through their interaction with corporate sponsors. Students get firsthand experience in setting up and running a business, seeing it through its complete life-cycle.
GE sponsored two schools this year -- Catholic High School Petaling Jaya, and Sekolah Menengah Subang Utama, and held its presentation skills workshop on 7 July 2011 at their aircraft engine maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Subang. The workshop, which was aimed at instilling the participants with skills needed to deliver powerful presentations, saw the participation of 58 students from 12 different schools and received positive feedback. Aravin Gopinath, a student at SMK Subang Utama said, "The trainer was extremely knowledgeable. She taught me techniques to overcome my fear of public speaking as well as deliver a presentation with confidence. The skills I learnt will be useful when I go back to school."
"It is a great privilege to have been able to touch the lives of these students through sharing our knowledge, skills and expertise. We are proud to have had the opportunity to contribute to grooming the country's next generation of leaders who will undoubtedly play a part in shaping the future of corporate Malaysia." said Stuart Dean, CEO of GE ASEAN.
The YE Sales Fair, held on 16 July 2011, once again enjoyed a great turnout, with the involvement of more than 500 students. The fair provides students with an opportunity to put their entrepreneurial skills to the test, allowing them to promote and sell products which they developed and manufactured for the one day event.
"The YE Sales Fair is a great opportunity for the students to try their hand at starting up and operating a business in a safe commercial environment. Each year, the students put in a tremendous amount of effort and continue to surprise us with their creativity. They are an inspiration and we are glad to be able to provide this platform for them to learn from." said Datuk Tim Garland, AMCHAM's Vice President.
A wide variety of products were showcased at the fair this year. Of note were two items by students at Catholic High School, an innovative phone charger holder which, designed like a panda, can be hooked anywhere while keeping the wires tidy, and a `Jack-in-the-beanstalk' letter holder which appealed to the eco-friendly amongst the crowd as it was made from recycled materials. The letter holder is also in line with GE's ecomagination campaign.
About Young Enterprise (YE) Program
The Young Enterprise (YE) Program was introduced in 1989 as a community education program, which enables Malaysian Form-4 students (16-year olds) to become entrepreneurs, by creating and managing their own "companies". To date, more than 16,000 students have participated in the YE Program. Through this program, these future leaders gain valuable skills in business acumen, teamwork, and personal development. The YE Program inculcates the entrepreneur spirit and is recognized and supported by the Ministry of Education. AMCHAM is a member of Junior Achievement Worldwide (JA), the world's largest organization dedicated to educating students on work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literary through experiential, hands-on programs.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is an advanced technology, services and finance company taking on the world's toughest challenges. Dedicated to innovation in energy, health, transportation and infrastructure, GE operates in more than 100 countries nd employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com
About AMCHAM
AMCHAM Malaysia (The American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce) is an international, non-profit, private-sector business association comprised of more than 800 members representing over 350 American, Malaysian, and other international companies. Since its inception in 1978, the Chamber has served as a platform for providing information to its members, representing their interests before the Malaysian and U.S. governments, and in establishing closer relationships with other business organizations and the local community. As an advocate for its members' interests, AMCHAM has also raised key issues with the Malaysian and U.S. governments, and has gathered information and feedback on policy issues to promote bilateral trade and investment between both countries.
For more information, contact:
Zatalini Zulkiply
PR and Communications Executive
GE Corporate
+603 2267 1892
[email protected]
Jesselynn Lai
Corporate Communications Executive
American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce
+603 2148 2407
[email protected]
Corporate Communications
[email protected]