Saipem Asia Azerbaijan Branch and Junior Achievement Azerbaijan launched the II Semester of the JA Work-Readiness Project. The project meets the needs of a diverse group of undergraduate students by providing engaging, academically enriching, and experiential learning sessions in work-readiness education and career perspectives.

Consisting of two levels - the "JA Success Skills" training and "JA Job Shadow" internship program - the initiative will engage the IV year bachelor and II year master students of the Azerbaijan State Oil Academy. The selected students will receive extensive career training and the most successful students will intern at Saipem Azerbaijan office.

The Central Bank of Azerbaijan, 'Pasha Bank' OJSC, and Junior Achievement Azerbaijan continue to partner on supporting the financial literacy programs for undergraduate students.

In October, JAA recruited 25 students from Azerbaijan State Economic University, Baku State University and Qafqaz University to participate in Banks in Action project. Within the initiative, the Central Bank's Research and Development Center and Communication Department conducted 5-days training on the "Fundamental of Banking Industry and the Role of Central Bank in Banking System". Training introduced the centralized banking system, the banks role in country's economics, and other aspects of the banking industry. The students will apply the gained skills in a competitive environment using the "JA Banks in Action" computer simulation on March 2012. The most outstanding participants of the project will participate in Student Internship Program at Pasha Bank and the Central Bank during June-July, 2012.

Throughout October-November, JAA provided 75 high school students with workplace ethics training through its JA Business Ethics project. The project is designed to foster ethical decision-making in students as they prepare to enter the workforce. Students learn to recognize, analyze, and apply basic terminology, theories, and concepts common to the study of ethics. They explore their own ethical values and philosophy, establish ethical priorities, recognize key ethical issues, and learn to evaluate their decision-making process. The project materials were developed by Deloitte and JA Worldwide.

After completing the training course in December, the project participants got involved in the online Responsible Business Challenge led by JAA, where they explored the role of corporate social responsibility in business. The students learned the main principles of creating and leading a responsible business that is aware of its social and environmental impact and actively manages its operations to minimize negative consequences for society and the environment and optimizes positive ones.

About 2000 youth came together in Heydar Aliyev Palace, in Baku on October 25th. Hosted by the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the event brought together state and government officials, representatives of the international humanitarian organizations and academic communities.

The forum's agenda includes discussion of the roles and responsibilities of non-governmental youth organizations, social and political activity of the young people, students' social problems, quality of education, new projects for talented young people, encouraging and supporting young people in sphere of management, developing the new projects for young people studying abroad, international cooperation and other issues.

Speaking at the forum, Executive Director of Junior Achievement Azerbaijan Mr. Rashad Khanlarov touched upon the work done over 1998-2011 years, the organization's nearest plans and perspectives. "Many young people has benefited from educational programs implemented by Junior Achievement Azerbaijan. Due to participation, young people established numerous small and medium business enterprises, which are now acting not only in Baku, but also in regions. This is also supports the economic employment of youth and has a positive impact on their social well-being, " emphasized Mr. Khanlarov.

6th Azerbaijani Youth Forum started its work in April 2011. During April-September, various conferences and regional meetings with youth participants were held in Baku and regions. Through these meetings, 1601 representatives of all regions and cities were selected to participate in the final meeting of the Forum. The final gathering will collect the representatives of all strata of the Azerbaijani youth - young representatives of non-governmental organizations, undergraduate students, young scientists, talented and creative young people, young entrepreneurs and others.

October 2011 - Garadagh Cement OJSC and Junior Achievement Azerbaijan hosted the Management and Economics Competition for 5 schools in Sahil and Umid settlements. The initiative is a part of the School Business Education Program (SBE), implemented by Garadagh Cement OJSC and Junior Achievement Azerbaijan in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education.

10 teams from schools #273, #294, #228, #319 and boarding school #9 competed within two groups. During the contest, the participants were in CEO roles of student companies and simulated "business quarters," while making decisions on price, production, marketing, capital investment, and research and development, and considering market conditions. The impact of the decisions leads to the success or failure of each student company. After intensive six rounds student-teams from schools #319 and #228 became the winners in each group. The event concluded with awarding participants and the winning teams with gifts from Garadagh Cement OJSC.