SHAH ALAM, April 9 — Participants in the Selangor State Development Corporation’s (PKNS) 2020 Graduate Entrepreneur Programme (Grow or Graduate Realising Opportunities Way Forward) managed to record sales of RM4.4 million, the second-highest during the 15 years of the programme.
PKNS chief executive officer Siti Zubaidah Abd Jabar said the number was very encouraging as participants had to face the Covid-19 pandemic situation in marketing their products.
“The highest sales were in 2019, about RM7.1 million, while for 2020 even in a pandemic situation they managed to get sales of RM4.4 million.
Although 2020 was a challenging year following the Covid-19 pandemic, that did not stop these young entrepreneurs from boosting their sales records using online sales methods with the help of PKNS.
“During the 15 years of implementation of the programme, we have successfully trained 363 participants where a total of RM30.7 million in sales were recorded during that period,” she told reporters after the graduation ceremony of the Grow PKNS 2020 programme here today.
A total of 29 Grow PKNS 2020 participants who have completed a six-month course attended the event.
Siti Zubaidah said a business recovery module will be included as a new element in the Grow PKNS 2021 programme which will be conducted this June in preparation for participants to face market uncertainties in the future.
“The business recovery plan module is not only for use during a pandemic (Covid-19) but for whatever crisis. If you look at a normal economic cycle that does not involve a pandemic, for every eight to 10 years, there will be an economic downturn.
“The recovery plan in this situation is very important so that Grow entrepreneurs will not end up as a short business. They will revive their business plan periodically (for business continuity),” she said.
The Grow PKNS programme emphasises implementation methods specialising in module and workshop activities, group coaching, individual coaching as well as participant recruitment specific to graduates aged 30 years and below, businesses registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia and full-time courses.
— Bernama
