BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS one of the first parts of their initial hands-on experience at the Youth American Business Trust (YABT) Rural Tourism Business Lab Course, several eager young persons ‘set up shop’ at The Circus yesterday (June 6) offering their products to members of the public.
The participants were divided into five groups/businesses and each was required to develop a product and persuade potential customers to purchase it.
Among the groups/businesses were LEMONAiD and NATURAL SWEETNESS, with the former selling glasses of refreshing lemonade and the latter selling jars of tasty jam and honey.
Juliette Powell, a representative of LEMONAiD, said the groups had one hour to sell their goods and or services, which was accomplished by most, if not all, of them.
Powell said she is appreciative of the course as it enables her to build on those skills which are necessary if she were to become a successful entrepreneur.
“The workshop we are participating in is a one-week workshop which helps us to build leadership skills and helps us to get to know ourselves. It gives us the information we need for opening and operating small businesses and being good entrepreneurs. We have three entrepreneurs or small business owners coming to talk to us and it is wonderful.”
Rina Yaffe, one of the facilitators, told SKNVibes that the course is very interactive and that the participants seem to be grasping the concepts of entrepreneurship.
“We are doing a business lab. This exercise was for them to experience what it feels like to sell things. This is a hands-on workshop and we are doing everything by experience. In the class we work in groups and we are doing many games and demonstrations. It is not like lectures, but very hands-on.
“We know that from this exercise they could learn everything about marketing. All you want to know about marketing you can learn by going to a specific area and begin selling.”
The course – which began on June 4 – is designed to “advance the development of the next generation of entrepreneurs in St. Kitts and Nevis. It will also build on previous and current programmes, projects, activities and initiatives in the area of entrepreneurship among young people in St. Kitts and Nevis”, OAS Representative to St. Kitts-Nevis Starret Greene expressed.
Sponsored by the OAS affiliate Youth American Business Trust (YABT), the course is the first of its kind to be held in the Caribbean.
The course is scheduled to end tomorrow (June 8).
