''Started in April 2008, the Student Companies project involved 100 students from schools of Sabayil, Garadagh and Khatai regions in learning the principles of creating and running a company. Mentored by business professionals from PricewaterhouseCoopers, the students passed online training courses to explore skills necessary for developing viable business plans and actually formed student companies within their schools,'' says Vusal Khanlarov, Executive Director of Junior Achievement  Azerbaijan (JAA), one of the BP and its coventurers' awarded grantees in support of an Economic Opportunities Programme for the Baku region.

On the event dedicated to the finals of Student Companies project, ten most successful teams from a number of schools presented their business plans and products in a fair-type exhibition to the panel of judges from the business community.

''The competent board of judges evaluated each business plan based on its feasibility, planning, budgeting, competitiveness, risk and insurance, as well as students’ presentation skills,'' says Jeyhun Karamov, C&EA Education Investment Advisor and one of the jury members.

According to jury evaluation, the first place award was presented to school #203 for their business plan on tourism and field trip organization agency to Azerbaijan’s sights. Student team from school #116 was awarded the second place for the design on wood company, and school #51 was awarded the third place for organizing school photo studio.

The event was held with participation of JAA Board of Directors members, representatives of local and foreign businesses and academic communities.

Junior Achievement Azerbaijan implements SEBE programme with support from BP and partner companies since 2007 in Sabayil, Garadagh, and Khatai regions of Baku. The programme provides economic and business training for school students and community members, supporting business education in Azerbaijan at the grassroots – the high school level.