Company Advisor (CA) volunteers spend a week guiding a team of high school students through an interactive business simulation. As a CA, you'll mentor your student company as they elect officers, make decisions for their business simulation, brainstorm ideas, develop a marketing campaign, and develop leadership and teamwork skills. You are the support for the company as they navigate their way through a series of challenges designed to introduce them to the REAL world of business and careers. As a bonus, you will have the opportunity to enhance your own leadership skills, share your personal expertise and experiences, and form a mentorship bond with the youth of our communities. Your role is to engage, educate, and empower the students to be involved in the activities. This week-long opportunity will be nothing like you have ever experienced before!
Our best Company Advisors are people who have:
Benefits of Being a Company Advisor
Anybody who has ever been a CA will tell you that it was one of the most rewarding weeks of their lives. The benefits don't end with the chance to make a difference in the lives of teens — our CAs also say that they are better employees after they've participated in the program.
PFEW runs for one full week, starting with student registration on Sunday and ending with the Closing Ceremony on Friday. CAs arrive the Saturday before PFEW begins to attend one day of mandatory training. Daily programming begins at 8:00 a.m. and concludes each evening around 9:00 p.m. with intermittent breaks and set meal times. The week is a very challenging, yet rewarding experience. CAs will have opportunities throughout the day to attend to personal or business matters as the schedule allows.
Most companies see PFEW as a professional development tool and pay for their employees to attend. If you would like to explore this opportunity as a potential work training course or to see if your company already partners with us, please contact our offices for more details.
On-campus meals are provided by the Foundation (breakfast, lunch, dinner) each day. However, there are opportunities to eat off-campus should you choose to do so at your own expense.
CAs are asked to cover their own lodging expenses. A special room rate is offered at the nearby Holiday Inn, or a more affordable option is offered on campus in the upperclassmen dorm rooms. **If financial assistance with lodging is needed, please contact Program Manager, Taura Ivanko at taura@pfew.org prior to signing up.
As a Company Advisor, I am able to utilize my business skills to serve youth while strengthening my knowledge and relationships with my community. I think of all the students I have had the privilege of teaching over the past few years. I see them being productive and successful members of society today. There is no doubt, I gain the same, if not more, out of the week as my students.