FedEx inspires next-gen entrepreneurs

FedEx Reaffirms its Commitment to Inspire the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs in New Zealand

– Program aims to educate young people about entrepreneurship, teamwork and global trade –

Auckland, New Zealand, June 10, 2010 - This weekend FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, will help bring together 72 of New Zealand’s outstanding high school students to compete in the first stage of the FedEx/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge (ITC).

The students are at the start of a journey to select the final six students to represent New Zealand on the world stage in Singapore for the international ITC, defending the regional title and second place that New Zealand students achieved in the 2009 FedEx/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge.

An initiative of FedEx and Junior Achievement, the ITC aims to educate and inspire young people in eight Asia-Pacific countries to understand how entrepreneurship can improve the quality of their lives and communities. The ITC is now in its fourth year and this is the second year that FedEx Express is sponsoring the ITC in New Zealand.

Through the FedEx International Trade Challenge, students gain first-hand experience of world trade, enhance their knowledge of product distribution, promotion and sales and develop traits of competition, teamwork, risk-taking and self-confidence.

On Sunday June 13, the 72 students will compete in the New Zealand regional heat of the FedEx/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge. The two-day enterprise event will be opened by Hon Paula Bennett, Minister of Social Development, at Massey University’s Albany Campus.

Rhicke Jennings, Managing Director, FedEx Australasia says the FedEx International Trade Challenge regional heat is about connecting people with ideas. “FedEx New Zealand wants to support and foster our next generation of trade and business entrepreneurs through the International Trade Challenge.”

“Our aim with this regional challenge is to give all the students an understanding of the opportunities that international trade between countries can provide. New Zealanders have always prided themselves on being innovative and the International Trade Challenge enables budding young entrepreneurs to get a head start and an understanding of business on a global stage.”

“We’re looking forward to the fresh and exciting ideas that these 72 innovative young minds can work together to develop and hopefully New Zealand will take the title for the second year in a row!”

The judges will be looking for concise business plans and well-constructed presentations that demonstrate each team’s chosen product and international market entry strategies.

At the conclusion of this first stage of the ITC, 10 outstanding students will be selected from the pool of 72 to participate in the FedEx ITC Workshop in July. This intensive workshop will further hone their skills and understanding of global trade and business, and from this, the final six will be selected as the New Zealand representatives in the international FedEx/Junior Achievement ITC in Singapore this August.

ENDS

© Scoop Media