Minister of Agriculture & Marine Resources, the Hon. Renward Wells toured the 2017 Cooperative Youth Entrepreneur Summer Programme, an initiative of the Ministry's "Youth Embracing Excellence Successfully," also known as the (YEES) Project, which was held at C.I. Gibson School, Marathon Road.

The summer programme has been an ongoing initiative in the Ministry, since 2015, and has proven itself to be popular and successful, after it was rebranded from just being referred to as "School Co-ops."

Minister Wells embraced the opportunity to meet the 35 teenagers, now eager to start their own businesses, and learn more about the micro-economic impact of local souvenir making. 

He understood that these students have been developing these emerging cottage industries, since they started in 2015 when the program had only 19 participants.

The Ministry's Department of Cooperatives, spearheaded by its Director, Dr. Judy Simmons, has familiarized the Ministry with the importance of developing youth entrepreneurial initiatives, sponsored by the Ministry, to encourage young people leaving school to create jobs for themselves and help others create their own jobs to be their own bosses.

Ms. Simmons said the students have "learned about business planning, customer service, and have even conducted field studies in an economic environment; they were also exposed to 19 different cottage industry business ideas, where they applied theory to practical applications during 2016.

All participants were certified in CPR and First Aid as well.

"This year", said Ms. Simmons, "the senior participants that have been in the programme for three years have indicated they are ready to start their own businesses, selecting from diverse micro business areas of handicraft bag making, candle making, condiment food processing, soap making, and upholstery, to name a few."

By Gena Gibbs

Bahamas Information Services