“In today’s knowledge-based economy, what you earn depends on what you learn….”
– William J. Clinton
The Scholars Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a Business training and mentorship platform established to bridge the gap between learning and earning by raising more academics in business.
While bringing practical trade, commerce and industry into the academic institutions, the Chamber equally takes scholars and academics from the institution to the marketplace. This is both novel and sustainable.
Vision: To bridge the gap between learning and earning
Mission: To collaborate with the business community, chambers of commerce and institutions of learning towards raising scholars in business
We draw strategic support from the International Scholars Chamber of Commerce, ISCCI, World Trade Organization, WTO, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, UNIDO and many other intergovernmental and non-governmental bodies for bridging the gap between learning and earning via the promotion of entrepreneurship in scholarship mentorship programs.
SCCI’s key global focus areas (10 “Ts”) include:
*1) Training *2) Technology *3) Tools *4) Techniques *5) Trading *6) Tasks *7) Travels/Tourism *8) Timing *9) Trends *10) Turnover
SCCI’s Strategic Mode of Operation is centred on building capacity, industry, wealth creation skills, and economic development approaches.
We Build partnerships and synergies between the business community and the university community in the following ways:
1. Supporting growth and development of both new and old businesses through strategic linkage to the resources, skills and opportunities they need.
2. Bridging the gap between certificates and skills,
3. Bridging the gap between marketplace and institutions of learning,
4. Bridging the gap between the Public and Private Sectors and between employment and empowerment.
5. Advocating for an excellent curriculum to tackle unemployment, under-employment and poverty.
The Role of Scholars Centre for Commerce and Industry in Business Development and Management
Thousands of students graduate from our academic institutions every year and start looking for jobs. SCCI could change this ugly trend as participating students would benefit more as we train them to create new jobs through establishing new businesses based on experience gathered while learning and earning from the Scholars Centre for Commerce and Industry. To achieve this:
1) We need more lecturers fully dedicated to this critical task of collaborating with the Scholars Centre for Commerce and Industry to train our next generation of professionals and entrepreneurs.
2) A significant percentage of our university students have entrepreneurial spirit and ambitions with great potential to start their own companies soon after graduation or even while at school. The Scholars Centre for Commerce and Industry, in collaboration with various captains of industry, can assist these select groups of students in creating jobs for themselves and their classmates instead of looking for employment elsewhere.
3) We are glad that one of the Scholars Centre for Commerce and Industry units is the “New Business Development unit.” The mission of this New Business Development unit is to provide guidance and support to young undergraduates and graduates who have the talent to be our future business leaders and who wish to start their own new companies while still on campus or soon upon graduation.
4) We are hopeful that Scholars Centre for Commerce and Industry will provide interested students incubator facilities and assistance in applying for government and private sector funding to start their new businesses.
5) Scholars Centre for Commerce and Industry will collaborate with government research agencies to productize and commercialize the research results produced through their funded research programs.
Inherent opportunities: The opportunities available in this centre include International business network, ICT/Digital technology skills, Business Mentorship, Industrial Training/Work Experience, Business Idea Incubation/Commercialization, Startup Funding, Boosting export-import trade balance, Enhancing our digital economy and bio-economy, Commercializing our science and technology, Promoting our entertainment industry, Policy advocacies for business development framework, curriculum and job creation.
Benefits to the nation: As Scholars Centre for Commerce and Industry is being established in our universities all over the country to boost international trade, commerce and industry among scholars, a minimum of 15,000 jobs via the projected 150,000 trained startups yearly can be generated. This can increase our GDP, reduce poverty and insecurity and help to actualize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
BENEFITS TO THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
1. Participation in Practical Training, Master-classes and Recruitment of Scholars (startups, students, lecturers, staff and general public) into various skills, trades and industries to earn income while learning.
2. Gaining practical and professional experience while still in school.
3. Enrolling as members of the Scholars Chamber of Commerce and participating in our Trade Missions abroad.
4. Earning Commissions while promoting the business activities of partnering companies/organizations who are also expected to contribute generously towards the infrastructural development of the host institution.
5. Participating in International Trade Exhibitions, Conferences, B2Bnetwork programmes and a host of other corporate programs/services.
Conclusion: Scholars Chamber of Commerce and Industry is about how to plant the seeds of future industries. Many students at our academic institutions have an entrepreneurial spirit and possess innovative applied technological ideas. These students should be encouraged and provided with proper guidance and support. They should be enabled so that they are in a position to create new jobs for themselves and for their fellow students instead of looking for employment after they graduate. That is the core mandate of SCCI.
