GO’s ongoing support of Young Enterprise initiatives took a new turn this year when GO teamed up with a business partner, Smart Technologies Ltd, to support the Smart Achiever of the Year award organised for the first time by Junior Achievement Young Enterprise (JA-YE) Malta. The award - one of JA-YE’s newest initiatives - landed Andrew Borg Wirth as the lucky winner, a high-tech Lenovo PC sponsored by Smart technologies as well as a GO Internet Key complete with high speed internet service - powered by GO.
The best-of-class Lenovo PC built on cutting edge technology, the GO internet key that gives users fast 3G access to email, internet and other online applications while on the move and the high speed internet package will certainly stand the lucky winner in good stead – just the extra boost that will enable him to contine developing his entrepreneurship skills. As the Managing Director of the team Rewined that clinched this year’s HSBC Company of the Year award during the annual finals and the HP most responsible business award representing Malta at the European finals held in Cagliari, Italy, Andrew Borg Wirth now boasts hands-on experience of the expertise needed to support business growth in a competitive, environmental-driven marketplace – thanks to his JA-YE commitments.
JA-YE Malta is an exceptional experience that offers students the opportunity of acquiring skills in financial literacy and employability. Students form a team and ‘start-up’ a small business in a controlled and cushioned environment, as they are supervised by qualified business advisors who volunteer their time and knowledge for the benefit of the team.
The Smart Achiever of the Year award even though in the first year of its inception, is already a success story – immensely popular with the students who were spurred on to be creative, to come up with innovative ideas and to meet challenges.The unique feature of this award is that the judging panel is made up of ex-achievers who themselves went through the programme several years back and who are now established and respected members in the local society. The panel comprised local personalities in education, the hospitality industry, journalism – even a Member of Parliament – all of them role models in their own fields. Candidates for the award were accessed in the light of the award’s main objective to acknowledge commitment, determination, drive and motivation that individual players contribute towards the team’s success
Speaking about the Smart Achiever of the Year award, David Kay, GO Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to be on the forefront in teaming up with local business-related institutions for the benefit of young people who are tomorrow’s workforce. We consider this as part of our responsibility to the local community.”
“GO is honoured to be among the very first companies to support the sterling work being undertaken by JA-YE Malta towards giving students an excellent opportunity to experience real-life business challenges and at the same time develop business-focussed skills that include team work, selling, and presenting.. This year we have joined forces with Smart Technologies in our drive to enhance the future development of a knowledge society.”
Smart Technologies, operates as an equipment leasing and IT outsourcing company to serve the local business community together with well-known giants in IT circles. Whatever the technology or service solution that the client requires, a leasing solution makes IT more accessible whereas cost is never an issue since it by-passes the need for any heavy investment.
“JA-YE is a learning experience for everyone involved – precisely an experience of life-changing proportions. It takes place between the month of October and May on an annual basis. We are also delighted to have been able to support this new ‘Smart Achiever of the Year Award’ thus contributing to the creation of a new target for all the students participating in this much coveted event,” he said.
“The skills and aptitudes gained have today become mandatory in today’s world of business and I encourage all those who wish to have an edge and a headstart in the business world to form a team and participate in this programme. The next intake of students will be in October and details can be obtained from the website or by sending an email to [email protected] ,” she said.
GO has supported JA-YE (Malta) for several years together with the main sponsor, HSBC Bank Malta plc.