Here at Comcast, the spirit of entrepreneurship underpins everything we do. It’s hard to believe, but Comcast itself started as a small business in 1963 when Ralph Roberts acquired a 1,200 subscriber cable system in Tupelo, Mississippi! Today, have many programs across our various divisions designed to help entrepreneurs to develop and grow their businesses. And to foster leadership and business acumen among our next generation, we’ve joined forces with Junior Achievement of Delaware Valley. Together, we’re taking a group of area high school students on an amazing 16-week journey through the process of creating, building and dismantling a startup company.

Our first meeting took place in early November when we hosted 20+ area students and their families at Comcast headquarters to introduce them to the Junior Achievement Company Program. In this hands-on series, students work with their peers and a group of Comcast volunteers to organize and operate an actual business, undergoing every step from product creation to liquidation. Our volunteers offer guidance along the way, of course, but the company is truly run by the students themselves.

To give students a glimpse into the 21st century business world, the program blends in-person meetings with digital collaboration—all with the goal of helping students to develop the skills to be successful in the global marketplace. The program will culminate with a Regional Competition in which student companies compete in various categories against other corporate sponsored programs. Check back each week for an update on our progress!

Read Week 2