Entrepreneurship and free consultancy for Craiova students’ business ideas

Craiova, January 26, 2011– More than 150 Craiova students from high schools participating in young entrepreneurship programs, such as “The Company” and “Enterprise Without Borders” initiated by Junior Achievement, attended a training session with volunteer consultants from EximBank related to the mini-companies they are interested in.

During the meeting hosted by the Economic College Gheorghe Chitu, the students learned about entrepreneurship opportunities provided to the younger generation through the programs The Company and Enterprise Without Borders and about the national competition Company of the Year. Several examples of successful businesses of the younghaving been presented within JA in Europe, those over 15 JA mini-companies submitted business issues while EximBank experts replied in a most applicable dialogue.
After-school, pizza shop, internet caffe, computer service or pet attending center are only a few of the creative business ideas brought forward by Craiova students.

EximBank volunteer consultants extended advice to the “entrepreneurs” about how to get funding to pursue business.
A hot surprise was produced by the Elevator Pitch ideas competitionwhich instantly drew in 20 brave young men willing to persuade the audience about their creative and feasible business idea.
The Jury made of representatives of EximBank, of the Economic College Gheorghe Chitu and of the County School Authority selected the top 3 ideas and EximBank awarded the prizes.

The event in Craiova is part of a comprehensive project run by JA within a partnership with EximBank, aiming to develop entrepreneur abilities evere since school education. Specifically, the first “stage” of such project was held at year-end at the National College Mihai Viteazul of Bucharest.
”We accepted JA invitation to get involved in this project because we are that institution focused mainly on companies and particularly meant to grant assistance to the business environment. We are confident that besides the relevant products and services currently supplied to commercial companies we may also contribute to increasing the financial education early in school, so as to enable students, the entrepreneurs-to-be, to make business decisions with lower risk involved”, said Oana Nuta, PR&Marketing director of EximBank.

The event was organized by Junior Achievement Romania with the support of Colegiul National Economic ”Gheorghe Chitu” of Craiova.
The program Compania helps young people to learn the basics of entrepreneurship by means of such activities as: placing in the market a viable product or service, or set up, operate and keep a business afloat. By running all the stages required to make a real company work, involving a feasibility survey, capital draw in, company organization, or a business chart and accounting process, the students are in a position to develop such skills as leadership, team relationship, working as in real economic conditions.

The program Enterprise without Borders is an international entrepreneur educational program intended for the young which provide the opportunity of training as entrepreneur or manager by means of the experience won by running one’s company in an international market. Thereby young people get acquainted with the European trade value, acquire the abilities to operate in an international market and start relationship with schools in various countries participating in pilot trade exchanges.

Participatory high schools in Craiova:
Colegiul National „Carol I”
Colegiul National Economic ”Gheorghe Chitu”
Colegiul National „Fratii Buzeşti”
Colegiul National „Elena Cuza”
Liceul Teoretic “Henri Coanda”
Liceul Teoretic “Tudor Arghezi”
Liceul de Informatica „Ştefan Odobleja”
Colegiul Tehnic „Costin D. Nenitescu”
Grupul Şcolar ”George Bibescu”
Grupul Şcolar Industrial Constructii Nr.2
Grupul Şcolar ”Matei Basarab”
Grupul Şcolar „Traian Vuia”
Grupul Şcolar de Transporturi Auto
Şcoala de Arte şi Meserii

For further information apply to:
Junior Achievement România
Daniela Staicu
Marketing Manager
Tel: +40 730 330 881
E-mail: daniela.s@jaromania.org
Website: www.jaromania.org

EximBank
Miruna Lebedencu
PR & Marketing Advisor
Tel: 021/405.30.90
E-mail: miruna.lebedencu@eximbank.ro
Website: www.eximbank.ro

Note for editors:
EximBank
EximBank is a banking institution with a special product portfolio threefold oriented, i.e . – financing, guarantee, insurance – which enables it to support business and development of exporters, SME-s, and companies involved in EU funded projects.

Junior Achievement Romania, a non-profit organization set up in 1993, havin joined Junior Achievement Worldwide®, USA and Junior Achievement-Young Enterprise, Europe. JA is the largest and most dynamic international organization for economic and entrepreneur education. In Romania, JA programs type “learning by doing” are attended every year by more than 284,000 students from 2,400 educational institutions and are deployed together with the Ministry for Education, local educational units and the business environment.