Assiniboine awards $60,000 in scholarships to high school business competition students

Sixty high school students taking part in a business case competition this week were each presented with a $1,000 scholarship for the Business Administration program at Assiniboine Community College.

The scholarships were announced yesterday evening as students from 10 schools across Western Manitoba and Saskatchewan kicked off the second annual Manitoba High School Case Competition at the college’s North Hill campus with a welcoming dinner. The competition will take place today at Brandon University.

“We’re thrilled to support these high school students, helping them to continue their studies in business education at the post-secondary level,” said Dave Perkins, Interim Dean of Business, Agriculture & Environment at Assiniboine. “These students demonstrate creativity, critical thinking and communication skills. They’re a great fit for our Business Administration program.”

Kyle Prevost, a business and social studies teacher at Birtle Collegiate who organizes the competition, said these scholarships help promising students attain their college education.

“While post-secondary costs can add up for any student these days, our rural populations face more financial obstacles than most. This generous support from Assiniboine will help jump-start tomorrow’s entrepreneurs and CEOs, and could be the difference between a student going to school or having to postpone their plans for the foreseeable future,” said Prevost.

“Assiniboine offers students an engaging business education that allows them to get into the workforce sooner rather than later. The business diploma programs open all kinds of doors upon graduation, leaving students with many viable paths forward,” he added.

A case competition is an event where teams of three receive a case study – a scenario or specific set of circumstances – that is to be completed in a limited period of time. Teams must identify the most prominent issues presented in the case study and develop a customized strategy to solve these issues and achieve the stated goals. At the end of the time period, competitors present their recommendation to a board of judges. Competitors are judged on their ability to identify the key issues, present creative solutions and communicate effectively.

Assiniboine offers its Business Administration program by distance and on campus in Brandon and Dauphin with annual enrolment of around 370 students. The college currently partners with Ebb & Flow First Nation to offer its Business Administration program in that community.

The 2017 graduate employment and satisfaction survey showed that 94 per cent of Business Administration graduates had jobs within nine months of completing their studies. The college’s Business Administration diploma program currently includes seven specializations: General, Accounting, Financial Services, Human Resources, Management, Marketing and Aboriginal Financial Management.