Business as usual

By ANGELA McCARTHY

Attending class 40 minutes earlier than a usual school day is not normal in teen terms, nor is the concept of a business academy within a Kiwi state high school.

Sure, other schools have set up specialist performing arts and sports academies. Indeed other schools offer business studies, but Onehunga High School is the first to have a business academy offering a full certificate in business.

A brain wave of Onehunga High old boy and Red Eagle Corporation managing director Tony Falkenstein, the vision was to encourage entrepreneurial aspirations in high school students. He is providing substantial funding (around $300,000), time, business nous and contacts.

The University of Auckland Business School's recent involvement (it's just signed a memorandum of understanding with the academy) adds new status to the school. It also includes three scholarships for Onehunga High Business School graduates or students, one for a Maori student, one for a Pacific Islander and a third in open competition across the school. Teachers will be offered professional development through the university's business executive development short courses.

Principal Chris Saunders says there is a huge need for business education at senior high school level. "Traditional subjects like accounting and economics only partly meet this need. There are many students here that don't have business as part of their experience, so we're exposing them to something they have never had before."

The near full attendance at the early seminars given by aspirational business people recounting their successes is testament to the level of student interest.

A softly, softly approach has been taken in getting the business school up and running. This year, three classes, totalling 51 students, are taking two subjects, entrepreneurial business and personal leadership, provided by Unitec.

But next year Year 13 students will be offered an OHBS certificate in business and entrepreneurship, based upon New Zealand Institute of Management papers. It will have a core paper in entrepreneurship plus four other subjects that can be business electives and conventional subjects.

"We wanted more scope and felt we would get that from the NZIM papers," explains Business School head Manoj Daji, who met Falkenstein while in his previous role as deputy principal at Senior College.

He says the academy is filling essential gaps in high-school students' basic business knowledge and financial literacy, such as understanding taxation and how mortgages and other loans work.

Year 12 student Matt Kelway says his attitude to money has changed heaps since he started studying entrepreneurial business, along with physics, graphics, English, maths and music.

"I now think about saving money, and making investments. Before, I just bought stuff when I had money."

The 16-year-old now intends to eventually have his own company, an aspiration he'd never considered before. "I've realised business success is about seeing and taking opportunities. It isn't just luck."

Fellow student Phillip Turner, who chose entrepreneurial business instead of accounting this year, is also doing maths, economics, English, geography and science. He feels he is developing a good understanding of how business works and how aspects, like marketing, fit into the overall process.

A talented basketballer, the 16-year-old's goal has always been to make it big in the sport. "I still want that, but I have less tunnel vision about it now and know I need a contingency plan."

Both students intend to enter the business academy stream next year.

Daji says concepts such as property investment, have become popular goals for students.

"We talk about making investments work for them and you see the light go on over the idea of buying a house and getting someone else to pay off or help pay off the mortgage."

Next year the students will have cadetship placement with senior management in business. Saunders believes the future for under-funded state schools lies in a mix of state school and private sector partnership.

"If we don't do something the curriculum will become increasingly out of touch with the needs of the community. We have been very fortunate to have the impetus of Tony behind us so that we could make it happen now."

He says public and private sector response has been very positive, with many businesses offering help.

"Schools are ringing and asking about it, but we're not ready to share the model yet because we're still developing it."