Students Hone Business Skills
By Azaraimy HH

Bandar Seri Begawan - The incubator programme, which students can opt to join on completion of business school course, would further train them in entrepreneurial skills.

Pg Hjh Norashikkin Bte Pg Dr Hj Amir Md Yusof, Business School entrepreneurship coordinator, said this yesterday during the "Business For a Day" activity. "We are the first business school established in Brunei. From my observation, students still need more exposure to entrepreneurship skills," she said.

National Diploma in Business & Finance first year students conducted yesterday a food business activity in front of the Business School parking lot. "They are usually very keen to do business but still need assistance," she said.

"Business For a Day" helps develop the students' entrepreneurial skills. It is part of the overall assessment for the Enterprise Planning Unit carried out during the business operation. A written report will be submitted a week after the activity.

The incubation programme has a foundation course for two weeks. Students would be taken to visit government departments and agencies such as labour and the registrar of companies, and invited speakers from successful business entrepreneurs will give talks.

The business plan preparation is the second phase, and doing an actual incubator business for two years is the third.

Ms Suserena Bte Hj Mohd Hashim, a student, said, "we have six personnel in my group taking up different positions. I am the general manager."

"I direct what will happen in the company, with the help of the assistant general manager. The production manager is in charge of the products, the cooking and making sure the food we serve are halal. The finance manager is in charge of accounts."

She said they have contributed $420 from their allowances for the finances.

The hardest part of her work involves managing people and getting things done, she said.

She learned different people have different personalities. One needs to devise different strategies to get things done, talk to subordinates and ask if there are problems. She also learned the art of delegation to get things done. "I sometimes delegate my work to my assistant, 'who would be pushing the other person".

Mohammad Baihaqey bin Pehin Shari, General Manager of Ecletic Co, said setting up the business and planning the layout is not easy. Registering the income and expenses and planning are among the hardest parts, he said.

Ak Mohd Hirman Pg Hj Duraman, general manager of Eatsy Bitsy said they -specialise in small food portions. They wanted to do something different and found many people are interested.

Most of their products were sold by midday, even though they are ready to run the whole day, he said.

The hardest part is communicating with subordinates to get things run smoothly, he said.

"We faced a lot of difficulties such as finding the best products and the best prices for our stocks," he said.

A second and third group of students will be operating for three days next Monday and Tuesday respectively. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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