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JUNIOR TEAM CANADA
Ryan Rowe
Saturday, March 6th, 2004, 10:00pm EST
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

I've just returned from the Junior Team Canada Regional Centre in Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It took place on Friday at the University of Ottawa's Tabaret Hall. Registering for this unique initiative was no harder than visiting a website, signing up, and sending a cheque for CDN$25.

My participation in this seminar precedes my application for participation in the Junior Team Canada mission to China and the Philippines in August 2004. My proposal for involvement must include a photo and a brief pitch for why I should be selected. I also need to choose a preferred sector of Canadian business, and prepare a marketing plan for how I will obtain a specified level of corporate support. Finally, I must outline how I would contribute to the community upon my return, using my newly developed skills.

My ultimate objective in getting involved with this program is to gain valuable professional experience in an international setting. I know this will differentiate me from my peers and enhance my competitiveness. I anticipate that participating in the Mission this summer will allow me to develop skills in leadership, teamwork, and economic & country risk analysis. I also know I'll get the chance to make some incredible contacts in government and business, both here in Canada, and abroad.

Thanks to my longtime friend, Marino Francispillai, for accommodating me during the two days I was in Ottawa. He is great at keeping me supplied with food, drink, a place to crash, intelligent conversation and wise advice.

 

What is Junior Team Canada?

In 1991, Global Vision, a Canadian non-profit organization, launched the Junior Team Canada Program, a youth business leader training program. As the junior component of the Prime Minister's Team Canada, the program is dedicated to providing youth, ages 16-25, with the skills, experience and knowledge on global economies in an effort to promote Canada's overseas business development in the international marketplace.

Junior Team Canada shows these young leaders first hand the impact that trade and development have on Canada's ability to successfully compete in the international marketplace. The program accomplishes this mandate by giving young people from every province in Canada a platform to work with small and medium sized enterprises across the country in order to promote their products and services internationally.

The Junior Team Canada Program allows these young leaders to act as consultants for export-oriented companies and organizations on our Economic Missions to Canada's trading partners. Upon their return from the mission, each delegate must prepare a market summary and a prospect report on possible trading partners for Canadian businesses. This report is tailored to the specific interests of each delegate's corporate sponsors.

The 2004 Junior Team Canada delegation will study the latest developments in China, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. Recent events that will make it even more interesting are China's entry to the WTO, the threat of terrorist activity in Eastern Asia, and Hong Kong's repatriation to the motherland. The delegates will become better acquainted with various industries in these countries, including agriculture, the services industry, culture and education, energy, environment and information technology. They will visit local businesses and government offices, and will attend numerous networking events and press conferences.

Source: Information compiled from the website for Global Vision

What is a Junior Team Canada Regional Centre?

Youth aged 16-25 were invited to meet with Canadian business and government leaders to learn first hand about the future careers that exist in both the national and global economy. The full-day event combined interactive teamwork and skill-building sessions with informative speeches from invited guests. Participation at the Regional Centres is a necessary step to qualify for a position on Global Vision’s Junior Team Canada Trade Mission program to Asia (China and the Philippines) in August 2004.

Source: Information compiled from the website for Global Vision