by Maria Driscoll

For Prince Edward Islanders wanting to upgrade their skills, get practical work experience and look for a job at the same time, the Virtual Business Practice Firm may be the answer. Holland College, the PEI Institute of Adult and Community Education and the University of Prince Edward Island are partnering with Human Resources Development Canada to bring this innovative business concept to the Island.

The Virtual Business Practice Firm originated in Europe about 50 years ago. In 1995 it was introduced to Canada where it has had great success in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and most recently, Sydney, Cape Breton.

Located in the former Holland College Royalty Centre, the Island Practice Firm gives participants the opportunity to update existing skills and to acquire new ones. Participants gain valuable work experience in the areas of secretarial/office automation, accounting, sales, purchasing, information systems, computer graphics, human resources, communications, marketing, translation and records management.

"Practice Firms function like a real business enterprise, interacting with a closed network of more than 3,000 other Practice Firms around the world," stated Barbara Reid, Program Unit Coordinator of Holland College?s Business Unit. The ?business? of the Practice Firm is based on the promotion of sponsors? business products. These products are marketed mainly through catalogue sales generated through the virtual firm network. Reid explained that the Island Firm will sell its products and in turn buy other products from around the world. Participants in firms actually communicate with each other by phone, fax, e-mail or whatever other means a real firm would use to conduct its business. In addition, each firm has its own business decisions to make or it can face downsizing or bankruptcy.

UPEI, through its career development department, will be an invaluable resource in career counseling, as well as providing resources from its business, language and other graduate programs.

"We are very excited to be involved in this leading-edge approach to initiating employment," says Mamdouh Elgharib, UPEI Career Development Specialist. "With the practicum component in many of our programs, UPEI recognizes the benefit of hands-on experience. It reinforces educational theories and prepares students for professional employment."

The top priority of the Island Practice Firm is to assist the participants in finding actual employment. Since its inception, thousands of unemployed and underemployed individuals throughout the country have benefitted from this initiative by updating their skills and gaining practical work experience while actively looking for employment. Many of the program participants have gained the self-confidence needed to find employment and to re-enter the job market after only a few weeks of participation.

It is anticipated that the Island Practice Firm will open its doors in late February. It is expected that 15 Islanders per 20 week session will participate with a total of 70-80 adults experiencing the Firm on a yearly basis. Islanders participating in the project will be assisted by the Practice Firm Director, Ernestine Arnold and a Program Manager and two part-time employees, an Employment Counsellor and a Computer Technician. For anyone interested in knowing more about the program or in becoming a participant, please call 902-566-9657.

Funding for this project, in the amount of $228,450, is provided by the Canada/Prince Edward Island Labour Market Development Agreement, co-managed by Human Resources Development Canada and the provincial Department of Development and Technology.