Junior Achievement Company Programme: Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Launched in 1919, the JA Company Programme offers young people aged 15-19 the opportunity to learn how to move a business idea from concept to reality. Through learning-by-doing activities, mentoring from experienced business people and entrepreneurs, team work and competitions, the programme offers students a high-impact, one-year practical entrepreneurship experience (+100 hours).

JA Company Programme is recognised by the European Commission Enterprise Directorate General (today known as DG GROW) as a ‘Best Practice in Entrepreneurship Education’.

The JA Company Programme is based on a clear set of steps and learning outcomes and mainly focused on learning-by-doing methodologies and practical application of students’ basic skills. As part of the programme, students develop the ability to generate ideas and turn them into action, learn how to work in a team, take initiative and accept responsibility; they experience what it means to manage a real enterprise; they understand how economics and finance contribute to the project’s success; they apply their competences in a practical way. By the end of the programme, they participate in trade fairs and national and international competitions where they can interact and compete with other teams from other countries.

Based on the increased need of digital readiness, JA has developed a version of the programme that is designed to enhance students’ digital literacy and contributes significantly to the following cross-cutting policy context: Digital Transformation in our education and training systems, as well as in youth, as encompassed in the European Commission’s Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027.

This program blends AI and entrepreneurship education by combining the AI expertise of the industry with entrepreneurial concepts of JA.  It combines entrepreneurial skills with work force readiness and financial literacy in a practical and hands-on way.

The programmes start with the beginning of the school year of the country where each programme is delivered and they will vary from country to country.

The JA Company Programme with the AI components integrated are delivered by local JA offices using their own learning management system. The course will be delivered on a specially developed platform, which is being developed, allowing learners to access additional training resources and tools. More information will be provided in the beginning of 2024 when the platform will be launched.