Sept. 25, 2009
Local students who think they have what it takes to impress a Donald Trump-like boss may apply for The Apprentice: Dunn County.
The Apprentice: Dunn County is a program of the Greater Menomonie Area Chamber of Commerce designed to build youth leadership through teamwork and creative skills. The program is based on the NBC’s hit television show, starring Donald Trump.
Similar to the prime-time show, high school and college students in Dunn County will compete for the “ultimate job interview.” The students will use their talents and intelligence to conquer existing challenges issued by local businesses. In the final “episode,” teams of students will present their proposals, and the winning team will be “hired.”
Individuals eligible to compete include Chippewa Valley Technical College students in Menomonie, freshman-standing students at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and junior- and senior-ranking high school students from the school districts of Colfax, Elk Mound and Menomonie. Applications are due Oct. 23.
Student teams may be asked to address business challenges in the areas of accounting, entrepreneurship, human resources, information management, international business, marketing, management and manufacturing.
The teams will develop model concepts, strategies or design proposals for participating businesses to consider and implement. Each team will be mentored by a business member and an educator.
Selected students will be introduced to team members and their business challenger at a kick-off event to be held Thursday, Dec. 3, at the CVTC campus in Menomonie.
The Team Showcase finale will be held April 29 at the Stout Ale House in Menomonie. The top three student teams will receive awards.
The Apprentice: Dunn County is funded by a Program Innovation grant from UW-Extension. Project members include representatives from the chamber, Big Dot of Happiness, CVTC, Dunn County Cooperative Extension, Dunn County Economic Development Cooperation, Royal Credit Union, UW-Stout, Visioning Dunn County, West Central Wisconsin–Workforce Resource Dunn County and the school districts of Colfax, Elk Mound and Menomonie.
Student applications are available at http://www.tadunnco.com/.
For more information, contact project coordinator Tara Bergeson, of UW-Stout Outreach Services, at bergesont@uwstout.edu or 715-232-5270.
