Can you learn how to manage a company in two weeks? Not entirely, of course. But you can try - and discover what it feels like to make decisions that actually matter.
In October 2022, eighteen students from Veszprémi SZC Bethlen István Közgazdasági és Közigazgatási Technikum came to Rzeszów to take part in an Erasmus+ VET programme. Instead of traditional finance classes, they faced a different challenge: running their own virtual travel agency.
During the sessions they worked with REVAS, a business simulation game developed in Rzeszów. Each team managed a travel agency, making financial decisions, analysing results, planning offers and responding to changing market conditions. Sometimes a decision brought profit, sometimes it turned out the competition had moved faster.
Very quickly it became clear that running a company is about much more than numbers in spreadsheets. Strategy, teamwork and the courage to make decisions all play an important role.
Afternoons were reserved for workshops and group activities — a chance to practise English, get to know one another and simply spend time together outside the training sessions.
There was also time to explore the region. During their stay the group visited Łańcut Castle and the Rzeszów Underground, discovering more about the history of the city and the Podkarpacie region. They also had the opportunity to meet local residents during Open Café, where conversations often started with a simple question: “Where are you from?”
For many participants, this was their first experience of spending time in such an international environment. Two weeks were enough to see that cooperation, communication and economic thinking work in similar ways everywhere.
Because sometimes the best way to learn management is simply to try… running your own travel agency.
The project was funded by the Erasmus+ Programme.
