SHAH ALAM, Dec 14 — The organisation of the Graduate Entrepreneur Programme 2022 (GROW 2022) by the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) this year recorded a sales value of RM11.4 million, which is an increase in sales of 65.3 per cent from 2019.
GROW stands for Graduate Realising Opportunities Way Forward.
PKNS entrepreneurship senior general manager Azilah Arshad said the sales value was also the highest record for GROW since its organisation in 2006.
“The highest sales recorded was in 2019 which was approximately RM7 million. While this year, despite the uncertain economic situation and most industries are implementing business recovery plans, they managed to record sales of more than RM11 million and this is a very encouraging record.
“Throughout the organisation of this programme, various achievements of the participants were also recorded including business development through the increase of agents and stockists, an increase in permanent and part-time employment opportunities as well as an increase in sales with a minimum profit margin of 15 per cent,” she said in a statement today.
Azilah said GROW is a development and guidance programme for graduate entrepreneurs, which was held for six months from May to October 2022 involving 30 participants.
She said five finalists have been selected to present to a professional jury in a ‘pitch in’ session to present on products, sales strategies and business performance in grabbing the title of overall champion for GROW 2022.
Azilah said she plans to continue organising it because it has been proven to increase sales records every year and to date, a total of 423 participants have attended GROW with more than RM47 million in total company sales recorded since 2006.
“PKNS hopes that this initiative can help expand the empire of entrepreneurs as well as boost the economic ecosystem in Selangor whenever the buying and selling cycle takes place actively, thereby strengthening the state’s economic position.
“We also hope that by organising this programme, more young people will be aware of the importance of starting a business with knowledge and guidance,” she added.
The GROW 2022 programme emphasises implementation methods that specialise in module activities and workshops, group and individual guidance that involves the recruitment of graduates aged 21 to 35 who have a full-time business and are registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM).
Throughout the six-month programme, the participants were given guidance and training covering 10 entrepreneurial modules including strategic management and business models; financial management; conventional and digital sales and marketing; product development and export; human resource management and incorporation.
This year’s participants were given the opportunity to participate in the Selangor Entrepreneur Expo (SELBIZ) 2022 organised by PKNS and they managed to record a total sales amount of RM24,136 over the two days of the expo.
— Bernama
