WorldSkills International and the HP Foundation are working together to inspire young people to take action and to increase their awareness of social entrepreneurship as a career option through an online social entrepreneurship initiative, called BeChangeMaker (BCM). WorldSkills is the largest platform of skills excellence and development in the world with members in 76 regions and countries.
BCM consists of a series of online social entrepreneurial skill trainings that enable young people (18-30) with great ideas to explore their career potential as social entrepreneurs. The initiative uses WorldSkills’ global skills development platform to encourage WorldSkills Champions to team up with other talented and like-minded young people from their own communities to co-learn virtually and co-create locally.
Anyone who has begun or finished vocational education and training, and wants to develop a career as an entrepreneur, while creating social impact in their community and the world with the power of skills can join.
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The HP Foundation’s free online skills training program, HP LIFE, is a key resource for the participants. It offers access to 27 courses in seven languages, including courses on social entrepreneurship and design thinking, that help develop knowledge and skills young people need to start, grow, and run a successful business.
Through the combination of online HP LIFE courses, virtual mentorship, webinars, and online pitch competitions, BCM participants are encouraged to learn about social issues using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to use their knowledge to identify social issues in their communities, design solutions and social venture ideas, and test scalability. WorldSkills and HP experts will also serve as mentors and judges for the initiative.
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BCM takes place through May 2017. At the end of the project, three teams will be chosen to receive seed funding, which includes further training by business incubators/accelerators in their own countries, to support post-project development.
The team that makes the most progress in the three to six months after the project will receive additional resources and opportunities to bring their business idea closer to reality.
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“The HP Foundation is proud to be collaborating with WorldSkills on this exciting initiative to reach young people around the world who have chosen a vocational career path and want to use their skills to make a difference in the world,” said Debby McIsaac, Executive Director of the HP Foundation. “BeChangeMaker will provide these future social entrepreneurs with the opportunity to create real solutions to some of society’s toughest issues, using their skills, talents, and energy to help make life better for everyone everywhere.”
To learn more about BeChangeMaker go here, and sign up through HP LIFE here. Sign up ends February 28, 2017.