Business Planning Workshops - Company Programme - Prep your business plan - November 2022
Last week, JA Malta, in collaboration with our sponsors, held a Business Planning Workshop at the Valletta Design Cluster, for the 100+ students, spread over 20+ teams, participating in our Company Programme. The masterclasses, held in parallel, explored a number of essential entrepreneurship skills, such as Finance (HSBC Malta Foundation), Market Research (Atlas), Quality Excellence (EFQ Management Consultants), and Human Resources (Farsons). Students were asked to select one masterclass, aligning their selection with their role in their newly-formed JA mini-company. Each student might be strong in one given area, but, together as a team, their strengths are combined, showing the importance of both communication and collaboration in achieving success.
All students attended the Deloitte Workshop, to equip them with the tools required to prepare an effective business plan. The business plan is an integral part of the Company Programme, as it informs and shapes the direction of things yet to come. Planning is the better part of execution, so instilling proper planning skills in our youth should be a top priority across the board. We aim to teach our youth strategic thinking and planning skills. Our scope is to set them up to succeed not only in the Company Programme, but in an increasingly global economy, and this can only be achieved if young people are taught how to plan and strategise in the first place.
Once all of the masterclasses had been delivered, teams competed in a group activity, aimed at improving in-group cohesion, camaraderie, creativity and on-the-spot planning. The students really responded well to this activity, and enjoyed themselves, as did the JA team, and the attending Mentors, whose presence and commitment we greatly appreciate. Two teams drew to win the prize, a 30 minute consultation session with JA Malta. One such team thrived through their spontaneous and very creative problem-solving skills, while the other succeeded through traditional planning and foresight – the role of both skill sets ought to be encouraged and developed in any organisation.