They've gone through 13 years of school – so now what? The next step is university and finding a job in the big wide world.

Three Bethlehem College Year 13 business students are hoping a week-long programme exposing them to real-life industry situations will help them jumpstart their careers.

Rotary Club of Tauranga Te Papa youth director James Clark with Bethlehem College Year 13 business students Joshua Baker, Hannah Edwards and Alana Harrison. Photo: Zoe Hunter.

Hannah Edwards, Alana Harrison and Joshua Baker, all 17, are attending New Zealand Business Week 2015 in Palmerston North until Friday, thanks to Rotary Club of Tauranga Te Papa, which is sponsoring each student $400 to attend the programme.

At Business Week, students will learn about running a business, the role of business in society, how the New Zealand economy works, the future of private enterprise and, best of all, how to get started in their career.

'Because our next step is university, we need to make sure that we're going into the right field and we're not going to regret it,” says Alana.

'Commerce is the foundation of our society. We cannot function without the trade so we have to make sure that we do it well.”

Hannah hopes attending the programme will help her gain insight into the world of business.

'We've been looking at it at school, but we haven't got to the next step of actually applying it.”

Joshua's the same. 'It's a good opportunity to meet people in the field who have a significant influence in business, which could lead to potential jobs.”

Rotary Club of Tauranga Te Papa youth director James Clark says it's about putting the money where they believe can make a difference.

'By investing in these students, we're ensuring the longevity of business in New Zealand. We're investing in the future.”