PEN Worldwide

PEN Worldwide pilots the worldwide network of Practice Enterprises and ensures the promotion and harmonization of the concept's educational practices. Each year, 200,000 trainees benefit from our practical training in schools, universities and training centres around the world. Today, our network includes 7,000 Practice Enterprises in 40 countries. A Practice Enterprise (PE) is a trainee-run company that operates like a real business. It silhouettes a real enterprise's business procedures, products and services. A Practice Enterprise resembles a real company in its form, organisation and function. Under the guidance of a trainer or coach and business mentors, students and trainees create their Practice Enterprises from product development & production, distribution & sales, marketing & human resources accounting/finance, to web design. As “employees” of the Practice Enterprise, trainees are responsible for its performance and through the learning-by-doing methodology trainees develop ownership competences: carry out market research, place advertisements, buy inventory, plan logistics, sell simulated goods or services, pay wages, taxes, benefits, etc. Each company engages in business activities, both nationally and internationally, with other companies within the Practice Enterprise network, following standard commercial business procedures and frameworks. There is no actual transfer of real goods and money but the trade transactions and financial exchanges take place for real: orders are made, invoices issued and payments transferred, financial records maintained, including information about creditors, debtors, stock holders, etc. The terminology may vary from country to country (ex. Practice Firm, Training Firm, Virtual Enterprise), as well as their translations (ex. Entreprise d'entraînement, Übungsfirma, Empresa Simulada), however the methodology remains the same.