Hospitality Academy students have the opportunity to take Virtual Enterprise, a unique type of class that teaches them hands-on how to start up and run a business successfully. Through Virtual Enterprise students become the heads of their own pretend businesses and work throughout the year learning real-life business strategies and tactics in order to make their virtual company a virtual success.

Virtual Enterprise student Monica Montez describes the class as “a different kind of class where we learn real world business and responsibilities. We start and run our own virtual company.”

“Our business is a resort in Hawaii named Diamond Shores Resort. We sell room packages and offer different activities such as fishing and banana boat riding, also different spa treatments,” says Maria Tovar.

The purpose of the class is for students themselves to become involved in the administrative process of business and experience first-hand what establishing an individual corporation requires.

Student Gladys Perez says their virtual enterprise “is set up and run by students to prepare us for work in a real business environment.”

Just because the virtual enterprise students run is computer-generated does not mean it becomes an automatic success. Like all things in life, a successful business comes with hard work and time well spent. Students take on all the responsibilities of real-life business owners.

According to one student, “We handle all of aspects of a real business, such as Marketing and Accounting.”

Virtual Enterprise students say “What we do in class everyday is important because it is like working in real life. That’s how we get graded.” Some of the class assignments, similar to the duties of real-life resort owners, include: getting bills paid, booking spaces at their hotel, sending e-mails to other companies, and making flyers and brochures to advertise their room packages.

Students have found that in order to run a successful enterprise owners must be able to, as one student stated, “ work alone and be creative.” Another stated, “Skills required are to be outgoing. In order to sell your product you must be able to communicate with others. You must be professional when talking to all customers.”

Overall, Virtual Enterprise students have learned the difficulties that come with being the head of a business, even one that’s pretend.

“I learned to be responsible. Also, decision-making and e-mail skills and how to sell and market and communicate with people I don’t know,” replied Montez.

“I learned that I have to pay bills on time and be very responsible,” replied Perez.

“One thing I’ve learned is how to communicate with older people, such as teachers, better. Also, how to make flyers and the market details of a business,” replied Tovar.

CV business teams compete with other student teams at trade fairs. They set up booths, display catalogs and flyers and represent their companies. “At the Long Beach Trade Fair we placed 6th for “Best Professional Booth” and at San Diego we placed 4th for our catalog,” says Maria Tovar. “It has been a great experience.”