For over 50 years, the international DECA educational program has provided practical, hands-on business knowledge and experience. Union City's Apache Design company is an acknowledge model of student-operated enterprise. Union City alumni with DECA experience have moved into highly successful business careers, local, regional and national.
Apache designs, manufacturers and markets custom apparel, primarily T-shirts for companies, events and sports teams. Additional products include banners, poster, cups, tumblers, coasters, hats and license plates., Customers are organizations or businesses making "bulk sale" purchases. Hands-on business experience includes:
The existing Apache production capability will be doubled, allowing new technology to be included in the student experience and new products to be added to Apache's catalog.
Vision Corner's downtown location will include an Apache retail shop, opening an entirely new set of educational experiences. The shop will be a visitor destination where products will be displayed and purchases made one-by-one. Categories of customer interest by branding will include:
Student experiences will include a whole new set of career-related skills:
The DECA experience will not be complete career training for most roles in the marletplace, but our DECA students take their next educational step or start the first workplace role with an awareness of important fundamentals, including the importance of teamwork and communication. In effect, they "come down running," in their careers' next step.
Entrepreneurship is a Vision Corner focus and an alternative application of DECA experience. Again, the DECA student brings knowledge and savvy that is highly relevant to successful start-up and execution of a new business.