Youth gain entrepreneurial skills for changing economy

The Small Business Association (SBA) is championing entrepreneurial thinking as a vital life skill for young people, regardless of their future career paths, says chief executive officer Dr Lynette Holder.

At a youth forum held for six secondary schools at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Thursday, Dr Holder said that thinking is crucial for navigating life’s challenges.

“We want to help our young people to become entrepreneurial in their thinking,” Holder declared to students from The St Michael School, St Leonard’s Boys’ Secondary School, Frederick Smith Secondary School, Lester Vaughan School, Parkinson Memorial Secondary School, and The Ellerslie School. “That means they’ll be able to problem-solve, think creatively, innovate, and take calculated risks, regardless of their chosen career path.”

The SBA’s Enterprise in Action Youth Programme, launched in 2009, has evolved from brief school lectures into a comprehensive initiative providing hands-on training for approximately 200 students annually.

“We needed to go beyond just visiting schools and giving a 35-minute lecture,” Holder explained, citing growing demand for entrepreneurial skills among youth as the driving force behind the programme’s expansion.

Emphasising the programme’s broader goal, the SBA chief stated: “Problems are going to come your way, whether you like it or not. The ability to tackle these challenges creatively is what separates a successful individual from the rest.”

To enhance the programme’s value, the SBA has partnered with the TVET Council to introduce a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in business. This level two qualification provides students with a formal credential, boosting their workforce readiness. 

“It ensures that you leave not only having learnt about critical thinking and how to innovate but also with a qualification,” Holder remarked.

Over the past decade, the programme has facilitated practical experience in various areas, including t-shirt design, arts and crafts, and pastry making. 

Holder stressed that entrepreneurial skills are essential life skills, not limited to business starters. 

“It is in these risks that you’re going to find rewards as you go through life,” she said. “You can seize opportunities that emerge for your own growth and your own advancement.” (RG)