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A simulated enterprise sometimes referred to at FET Colleges as a ‘SIM Office” is  a programme that allows students to experience in a simulated business environment, all facets of being an employee in a firm. The idea of office simulation can be traced back to the 17th Century.  In Europe, simulated practice firms were established for many years as places for commercial training.  Since World War II, however, these simulated offices evolved into a practical vehicle for interdisciplinary instruction and an in-school work experience.

So what is a Simulated Enterprise?

A simulated business is set up and run by students with the guidance of a facilitator and a business partner.  The business partner can be virtually anything for example a T-Shirt printing business, a sandwich shop etc. The programme involves students in every aspect of a business, including human resources, accounting, product development, production, distribution, marketing and sales.  The workplace simulation enables students to understand how employees, workgroup teams, and departments interact with each other and work together for the goal of the company.

The programme is based on the European concept of practice firms, but in South Africa (especially in the Western Cape) Colleges fine tuned the practice firms according to their needs and the needs of industry.

The idea is that students run simulated offices in their colleges and engage in virtual trading with other practice firms.  It is a comprehensive and student-orientated approach towards teaching and working that provides practical and task-orientated instruction in a real-world environment, which ultimately conveys the expectations of a workplace.  Students engage in hands-on applications, problem solving and written and verbal communication.  In addition, students learn about a variety of careers associated with business and industry, and use technology as applied in business, including the use of Internet for transactions and communication.

Is it vital that colleges implement the simulated enterprise concept?  YES!  …. It is all about learning how to translate academic concepts into competencies that can be applied in the world of work.

Step by step guidelines on how to implement a Simulated Enterprise at your college will follow soon………..

Please feel free to ask questions if you need guidance regarding this matter.

UNTIL NEXT TIME!

Author:  Gerda Venter

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