SBDC-YEA ends in Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia: The Young Entrepreneurs in Action Programme hosted by the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC), has concluded. The program’s aim was to instil entrepreneurial skills in students and young entrepreneurs, and to provide practical work experience. Forty students from secondary schools all over the island were mentored by 23 clients of the SBDC for one month.

Minister for Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs, Emma Hippolyte, believes the initiative will reap great rewards in the future.
“By investing in the youth of Saint Lucia now, we can significantly lessen the uncertainties that lie ahead,” she said. “The SBDC-YEA program is a testament to our understanding of the importance of our youth economy and will serve as precedents of further partnership with the Department of Economic Development, which is the department with responsibility for the youth economy.

“One of the key highlights of this program was the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Education, entrepreneurs, parents, students and teachers. Although the SBDC-YEA programme was originally earmarked for two years, this positive collaboration should foster its succession for years to come.”

Acting Chief Education Officer, Dawson Ragunanan, remarked on the collaborative accomplishment of the public and private sector.

“You know it is truly remarkable when we can foster such a collaboration where education and industry unite to create the kinds of experiences that will prepare students to become entrepreneurs in this 21st century environment.”

The SBDC, also known as the Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU), acts as government’s means to the development of micro and small enterprise sector in Saint Lucia.