Junior enterprise

A junior enterprise is a local non-profit organization entirely managed by students. Related to their field of studies the students offer consulting services to the market; experiencing unique learning opportunities by doing professional project work on the one side and managing small- to medium sized enterprises on the other, by doing this the students add practical experience to their theoretical skills. Most Junior Enterprises are linked to universities or schools.

Contents

The Concept

  1. Non-profit
    1.1 Not necessarily by legal status but by nature of activities (in countries, where legal circumstances affect the non-profit legal status)
    1.2 Surplus of the JE should not be used for any economic benefits for the members of the JE unless it is for execution of project work. If the legal status allows economic benefits for Management Board, then the National umbrella should ensure that there is a rule in place to prevent this from happening in a JE
  2. Non-political: not affiliated to political movement or party, however, able to lobby
  3. Non-religious: not affiliated to a religious movement or church
  4. Managed entirely by students: students only make and execute strategic decisions.
  5. Linked to an institution of higher education, but not necessarily affiliated legally. However, support from the University should be proactively sought.
  6. Legal entity: legal settlement should be proactively sought.
  7. Fostering entrepreneurship spirit:
    7.1 Proactively engaging members in decision making;
    7.2 Encouraging them to start their own projects;
    7.3 Actively look for new opportunities.
  8. Contribute to the development of the National Network by providing trainings to the Junior Entrepreneurs about the Network and motivating them to be a part of its activities.
  9. Fostering members development
    9.1 The end result of every project should be the development of members by any mean;
    9.2 Every project should develop a soft or a hard skill. The business acquisition, however, if the market allows, should focus on acquiring projects which develop hard skills (e.g.: resource management, analytics, technical, etc)
    9.3 Projects should assume interaction with external parties: private and civil companies
  10. Aiming at sustainable activity (at least one project a year must be run for clients). Thus, the Junior Enterprise seeks the quality implementation of the Concept.

Goals

This is an opportunity for students to develop self confidence and experience entrepreneurship at an early stage in their careers, to add practical experience to the theoretical skills and to provide private business with state-of-the-art knowledge from universities.

Due to the particularity of the Junior Enterprise work, the students distinguish themselves for example by their soft skills such as entrepreneurial spirit, team-working, creativity, presentation skills, public speaking, networking and intercultural understanding, work experience, and project management.

History

JADE - European confederation of junior-enterprises

The European confederation of junior-enterprises was created in 1992 under the impulsion of the French Confederation of Junior-Enterprises (CNJE).,.[2][3] The founding members are the Netherlands (FNJE), Portugal (JEP), Italy (CIJE), Switzerland (USJE) and France (CNJE).

The network counts 20.000 student members in fifteen countries, organised in around 280 Junior Enterprises. JADE coordinates Junior Initiatives all over Europe and fosters their development. Together with Brasil Junior, the Junior Enterprise Network in Brazil, JADE is one of the largest student networks in the world.

Brasil Júnior - Brazilian Confederation of Junior Enterprises

Brasil Junior is the word's biggest junior enterprise confederation, composed by more than 160 [4] confederated junior enterprises. It has as purpose to represent the junior enterprises nationwide and develop the Junior Enterprise Movement as an agent of business education and generation of new business. It is currently formed by 14 state federations.

Brasil Júnior works to bring together the state federations at meetings, and mainly, the junior enterprises at ENEJ (National Meeting of Junior Enterprises). In 2011, ENEJ will be organized at Foz do Iguaçu - Paraná, and the expected public is about 1800 junior entrepreneurs.

See also

References

  1. ^ Website of the French confederation
  2. ^ Description of JADE by the CNJE
  3. ^ History page of JADE
  4. ^ About Brasil Júnior(Portuguese)

External links