Support for the Virtual Enterprise International program must come from all relevant stakeholders–students, parents, teachers, administration (especially the principals, guidance councelors, and/or student career planners), and potential business partners to insure that all stakeholders understand the requirements of the program and to insure that the program aligns to the goals and objectives of the school and/or district.
In South Carolina, the Virtual Enterprise program is the Operations Management Major in the Business Management and Administration Cluster of the South Carolina Career and Technology Division of the State Department of Education. The VEI program can be used as a complete major resulting in “completers,” or it can be an elective in a prescribed career plan for any high school student.
Because VEI is a Career and Technology Education program, schools that implement it may be eligible to receive VTEA (Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act) funding to support costs associated with the program including a specialized laboratory-classroom that mirrors a professional office environment.
The VEI program model is designed as a one-year program 90-minute block, five days a week, but is adaptable to all school schedules in South Carolina. The program offers four levels–VE I, VE II, VE III, and VE IV–for a maximum of eight (8) units of credit toward a high school diploma. All levels of students are in the same Virtual Enterprise class, but follow the curriculum for the level in which they are enrolled. Experienced students are required to complete competencies at a higher level. Schools and districts can modify the schedule to support their instructional and organizational needs.
If you are interested in starting a VE program in your school or district and becoming part of a global network of simulated businesses, please fill out the form below and we will contact you. We can assist you with program planning, teacher training, implementation, and professional development in using the curriculum, online components, wholesale marketplace, data portal and international network database. You will then be contacted by a member of the VEI Central Office staff to discuss the next steps in the program implementation process.
New VE teacher-coordinators must attend staff training for one week prior to the implementation of the program as well as attend four quarterly training sessions in order to effectively implement and maintain a successful VE program.
