Buying and Merchandising Operations

Includes businesses like grocery stores, pharmacies, department stores, malls, farmers markets, and convenience stores. 

Sports and Entertainment Operations

Includes businesses like sports teams, movie theaters, tournaments, sports rental equipment, summer camps, music lessons, adventure camps. 

The 2025-26 topic 

The 2025-2026 topic for each career category is for participants to collaborate with a local business or organization to seek and incorporate customer feedback into the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and overall business strategies. Using the research findings, participants will develop a CSR strategy to achieve internal/external results.

The Business Solutions Project uses the project management process to work with a local business or organization to identify a specific problem with the current business operations and implement a solution. Examples include talent acquisition, employee on-boarding, policies and procedures, technology integration, customer service improvement, safety operations, marketing and promotion activities, and productivity and output enhancement.

The Career Development Project uses the project management process to promote/educate the knowledge and skills needed for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, management and entrepreneurship. Examples include career fairs, summer boot camps, professional dress seminars, résumé development workshops, career exploration initiatives, mock interviews, educational paths, career paths, workplace re-entry and mentor programs.

The Community Awareness Project uses the project management process to raise awareness for a community issue or cause. Examples include day of service, distracted driving, driving under the influence, bullying, disease awareness, mental health awareness, drug awareness, ethics, environmental and green issues, and vaping.

The Community Giving Project uses the project management process to raise funds or collect donations to be given to a cause/charity. Examples include food bank donations, homeless shelter donations, 5K’s, sports tournaments, auctions, banquets, item collections, holiday drives, adopt-a-families, etc.

The Financial Literacy Project uses the project management process to promote the importance of financial literacy, including spending and saving, credit and debt, employment and income, investing, risk and insurance and financial decision making. Examples include organizing and implementing seminars for students (elementary, middle, high and post-secondary), tax preparation assistance, retirement planning, and student loan workshops.

The Sales Project uses the project management process to raise funds for the local DECA chapter. Examples include sports tournaments, t-shirt sales, 5K’s, school merchandise sales, catalog sales, sponsorship development initiatives, fashion shows, pageants, restaurant nights, value cards, and yearbook sales.

For 2025-2026, you will assume the role of a financial consultant who specializes in advising small business owners and entrepreneurs. A potential new client, a local artist who sells paintings, prints, sculptures, etc., has recently turned their passion into a successful online business. The potential new client has scheduled a meeting with you to discuss strategies for managing the rapid growth.

For 2025-2026, you will assume the role of director of sales for a company specializing in social media influencer partnership strategy. The vice president of marketing for a local convention and visitors bureau has scheduled a meeting with you to discuss using your services to create an influencer program to drive brand awareness, increase hotel occupancy and create authentic visitor engagement.

For 2025-2026, you will assume the role of a sales representative for a company that specializes in subscription-based employee training and development platforms. A local non-profit executive director has scheduled a meeting with you to explore how your platform can help upskill their staff, improve customer service, and increase employee retention. The executive director is particularly interested in solutions that are cost-effective, easy to implement, and tailored to the unique challenges of the non-profit industry.