Taiwan students build on-campus businesses

2015/05/25

Students at vocational and technical colleges in northern Taiwan are starting on-campus businesses in record numbers, creating employment and spurring economic activity.

Barbershops and beauty salons are some of the most popular ventures, especially at institutions specializing in such trades like Ta Hwa University of Science and Technology in Hsinchu County and Yu Da University of Science and Technology in Miaoli County.

“Demand from our on- and off-campus clientele is steadily rising,” Yu Da student manager Hsu Wei-liang said. “We had no choice but to launch facility makeovers and start extending service hours.”

According to Yu, a customer can get a haircut, coloring or perm for NT$100 (US$3.30) to NT$500. “Reservations are now booked weeks in advance and we have started operating on weekends,” he said.

Dining services provided by many vocational colleges are also proving popular for high standards of cleanliness and food quality.

The 1402 Cafe at Miaoli’s Asia-Pacific Institute of Creativity attracts customers countywide on the strength of its healthy cuisine, while Yuanpei University in Hsinchu is a local hotspot with its rotating menu of exotic dishes.

Some establishments are taking the business model to the next level. Taoyuan City’s Kainan University opened a travel agency, combining resources in culinary and hospitality education to offer integrated services while giving students hands-on training.

“Through this program, students are able to put their knowledge and skills to practice by engaging in a variety of activities such as dining reception and travel services,” a Kainan instructor said.

“Given our steady stream of positive customer feedback, we are optimistic that the business will prosper going forward as a way of promoting education through best practice in the workplace.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=230701&ctNode=413)