A-B Business Program offers S.I.F.E Team

Employers in today’s labor force are looking for many attributes in recent college graduates. Although knowledge plays a key role in gaining employment, employers are focusing in on a graduates skills and experiences they have gained while attending college.

Alderson-Broaddus College students have a unique opportunity to not only gain knowledge, but prepare themselves for the workforce through an organization called Students in Free Enterprise, commonly known to current students as S.I.F.E. This year’s team is comprised of ten outgoing students that care about their educational experiences, but also the communities around them.

This organization encourages students to create and complete projects within their community that will foster the recognition of a free enterprise system. Previous projects that students have completed include: completing marketing research projects for the city of Philippi, teaching children the importance of banking, educating senior citizens on avoidance of becoming victims of fraud, conducting classes at the Pruntytown Correctional Center for prisoners on how to get back into the workforce, and providing teenagers information on how to create a babysitting business. Students learn quickly that there is no limit to the people they can help with the assistance of their teammates.

Another important part of the S.I.F.E. team is the opportunity to compete with their projects. Team members attend a regional competition in which they use their projects to create an annual report and presentation. Presentations are given to CEO’s, Presidents, and Vice-Presidents of major companies such as Wal-mart, Pepsi, Welch’s, American Greetings, Coca Cola, Hallmark, and the Campbell Soup Company. Teams are scored on key objectives and awarded at the end of the competition. Many S.I.F.E. teams advance to the national competitions where they repeat their presentation. National competition is exciting and fun for students, but also holds a world of job opportunities. Many of the participating companies attend a career fair in which their main purpose is to recruit college graduates.

The job market can be a frustrating and complex place for many college graduates. The Students in Free Enterprise organization creates an atmosphere of learning and service that breaks down the complex walls of finding a job. For more information on S.I.F.E, contact www.sife.org.

  View entire list of headline articles