This is the fifth generation of young graduates in Ljubljana, whom the BTC Company in the cooperation with the Employment Service of the Republic of Slovenia and the Centre of Business Excellence of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Ljubljana rendered additional entrepreneurial education. In the scope of the BTC Campus, participants refreshed their entrepreneurial skills, expanded their circle of connections and acquaintances, and increased their chances for employment or self-employment.
After the second generation of graduates had successfully concluded the BTC Campus programme in Murska Sobota in March 2017, this programme of additional education was concluded also by the fifth group of 30 young people in Ljubljana. Upon the proposal by the Employment Service of the Republic of Slovenia, the programme was attended by unemployed graduates (aged 30 or less) who have shown interest in entrepreneurship. Already during the BTC Campus programme, some participants successfully embarked on the journey of their first (self-)employment. The acquired new knowledge and connections that contributed to higher self-esteem of the participants reflect the benefits and the success of the programme.
Jože Mermal, President of the BTC Management Board, in the message conveyed to young people who are at the beginning of their career paths, pointed out: “Showing interest is a start, seeking opportunities is a step in the right direction, while daring to make a change is the main cornerstone of success. The BTC Company wants to help young people take on an active role in the social and economic development of Slovenia and help them transform their ideas into concrete business solutions. In the scope of the BTC Campus, the BTC Company and its partners gave young people the chance to prove themselves. The result? An array of inspiring business ideas! On top of that, they have shown an active and focused search for opportunities to carry out projects, a lot of which will be implemented in the activities of our Company as well.”
The BTC Campus is a unique educational training programme, where participants upgrade their entrepreneurial skills by facing concrete business challenges and studying good business practices. This year, the young participants in great detail studied the understanding of different groups of BTC City Ljubljana visitors, and brainstormed how they should address them via traditional communication channels, especially by employing modern digital solutions. They presented their proposals to the representatives of the BTC Management Board and thereby opened the doors to potential future cooperation.
The BTC Campus programme was organised in the ABC Hub in BTC City Ljubljana and extended over three months. Between March and May, twelve seminars in the total duration of 36 hours were carried out. Lecturers from the Business Centre of Excellence of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Ljubljana Rok Stritar, PhD, Blaž Zupan, PhD, and Marjan Kramar gave lectures.
Monika Lapanja, MSc, Director of the Centre of Business Excellence of the Faculty of Economics in Ljubljana, pointed out the importance of transfer of knowledge between the academic sphere and the field of economy: “We have been a part of the BTC Campus for the fifth consecutive year. Along with the current contents, the programme includes also the newest methodologies for increasing innovativeness and successfully addresses the issue of young people finding employment. This unique multi-partnership programme for young people encourages all its participants to seek innovative and applicable solutions and thereby increases their resourcefulness and provides them with entrepreneurial knowledge with which they will be able to face future career and business challenges.”
Mavricija Batič, Director General Deputy of the Employment Service of the Republic of Slovenia, stressed the positive impact of the programme in improving the career opportunities for young people: “How and where to proceed? This is a challenge many young people face after they finish their tertiary education. The BTC Campus programme represents a bridge to their first employment. Each year, we select all those who have shown most interest for additional entrepreneurial education among the candidates. It pleases us to see the participants cross the mentioned bridge with success – they find employment easier or they find the courage to realise their own entrepreneurial ideas.”
The success of the BTC Campus can be seen in higher self-esteem of young people who gained motivation and courage for recognising career opportunities. The data shows that after the conclusion of four previously realised programmes, more than 80% of participants (in total 150) found employment or started their independent entrepreneurial path. Reflecting the quality of the programme is also the PriYatelj Award 2016, awarded to the BTC Company by the institute Zavod Ypsilon on the behalf of the broader community. All these facts show that the BTC Company is a responsible actor and creator of developmental opportunities for young people as generators of the future development of Slovenia.
Additional information:
Maja Oven, Director of Market Communications and Public Relations Sector
- T: +386 (0)1 585 13 15
- E: maja.oven@btc.si
