The 2021 FedEx / JA International Trade Challenge Kicks Off in the Philippines

FedEx Express,  a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and one of the world's largest express transportation companies, together with Junior Achievement (JA) Philippines, has officially kicked off the 12th FedEx/JA International Trade Challenge (ITC), which aims at nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit and business skills of Filipino students. Through this annual program, FedEx Express has seen huge success in engaging and inspiring students who have generated creative business ideas through practical, workable business proposals.

Filipino students Aljo Benedicto and Raine Nakpil won first place and third place  alongside their teammates from Hong Kong and Thailand at the 14th FedEx/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge - Asia Pacific Competition held last March.

For the second consecutive year, FedEx/JA International Trade Challenge (ITC) is being held virtually due to COVID-19 pandemic. The competition unfolds in phases with the virtual workshops running from April to May. The workshops  include interactive learning sessions, inspirational talks, and mentorship from FedEx, JA Philippines, and other speakers tackling key concepts on logistics, finance, and global trade. The series will culminate in an exciting final competition where students will develop an innovative and workable Market Entry Strategy Plan (MESP) for a product category for a certain country. The top three teams with the best ideas will represent the Philippines at the regional finals, where they will compete with fellow young innovators from other Asia Pacific countries.

“Since we started this activity in 2009, we have had over 6,000 students participate in our workshops with 66 of them having proudly represented the country in the regional finals. In last year’s competition, two Filipinos emerged as part of the grand winners, affirming our belief that this endeavor is a valuable experiential learning opportunity. We hope that the program will create more future entrepreneurs and small business owners to drive the success of this economy,” said John Peterson, managing director, FedEx Express Philippines.

More than 800 students in grades 7 to 11 from different schools across the country are expected to join the workshops this year. Notable industry experts, MAD Elephant PH CEO and founder, Hector Angeles, as well as Ex-link Events CEO, Orly Ballesteros, will dive deep into the essentials of business financial planning, market needs assessment, the Marketing Mix model, product development and more.

Fresh from their victory in the 2020 regional finals, Filipino winners Aljo Benedicto and Raine Napil, encouraged students to be part of this year’s FedEx/JA ITC.  "FedEx / JA ITC has opened doors to many unique, enriching experiences for us. It exposed us to valuable real-life work environments that will help us navigate real business opportunities with acquired skills and self-confidence,” said Benedicto.

 "FedEx / JA ITC has pushed us to our limits but in the end, it was all worth it. The competition enabled us to discover our strengths and meet inspiring alumni and judges who have gone through what we will go through in the future, and that’s very helpful,” Nakpil shared.
As a steadfast supporter and advocate of small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), FedEx has been working with JA Philippines to educate the Filipino youth and encourage them to expand their horizons, think beyond geographical borders, and create an exciting future for global trade.

 For more information about the JAITC Workshop, please visit http://japionline.org/home/.