BizAcademy – Putting the Buzz into Biz

BizAcademy really put “the buzz into biz” as student Aisling Keating put it, at the Salesforce.org initiative BizAcademy, which took place in our Central Park, Dublin office earlier this summer.

BizAcademy is an exciting program that gives bright young people, who would not otherwise get the chance to experience the corporate world; the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship.

BizAcademy participants spent a week at our salesforce.com Dublin offices, where inspiring and dedicated Salesforce staff volunteered their time to mentor the vibrant, energetic and intelligent group of young people, as they embarked on a challenging but rewarding Dragons Den business challenge.

The twelve creative and inspirational BizAcademy students, who hail from Dublin and Belfast based educational initiative Citywise, brought a whole new dynamism to the office.

The students energy and passion was evident through their business concepts in which their entrepreneurial spirit and flare for innovation was made apparent.

This intensive week long program also offered the participants the opportunity to learn about business and take part in interactive career planning workshops. The workshops were hosted by industry professionals, who volunteered their time to share their expertise with the group of students who were passionate and eager to learn.

The beauty of salesforce.com’s BizAcademy is that it recognizes the fact that some things can’t be taught in the class room, and as the students learnt throughout their preparation for the Dragons Den challenge, experience is the best teacher!

Opening our doors to intelligent young people, salesforce.com provides BizAcademy participants with an experience that Emma Whelan described as “unforgettable.”

BizAcademy also helps to equip bright young people, who have the passion and potential to excel, with the skills, knowledge and guidance necessary to achieve their goals.

BizAcademy participant Aaron Lynch, who hopes to study commerce in UCD in September stated, “BizAcademy gave me a great insight into how a business runs. It made me sit down and think about what I want to do in the future and how I’m going to get there.”

Aaron’s comment really captures the essence of the program. BizAcademy is ultimately an investment in the future. The lifelong learning attitude that lies at the heart of the program plays a crucial role in helping students to become successful in their careers.

By giving our time and resources to promote entrepreneurship, and lifelong skills among our young people, we are not only contributing to creating a more skilled future workforce, we are also contributing to creating a better society.

BizAcademy recognizes the fact that talent exists on all levels of society, and therefore aims to ensure that opportunity does not bypass talent.

Throughout the course of the week I had the privilege of meeting some incredible and ambitious young people, who are without a doubt a testament to the program. Here at the Salesforce.org, we wish the participants the best of luck with their careers, and future endeavors. I am sure that we have not seen the last of these guys yet!