Not your typical summer camp

Saavy young entrepreneurs are invited to show their business acumen during an innovative training scheme running this summer. 

The Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative (YEI), in conjunction with the Department of E-Commerce, will conduct week-long BizCamps at Berkeley Institute for 48 aspiring young Bermudian entrepreneurs 13 to 18 years old. BizCamp dates are the week of July 8 or July 15.

The YEI is also introducing a special eight-day Career Camp for 15 to 18 year olds from July 22 to 31. Students will choose either the E-Commerce or Tourism/Hospitality industry tracks and hear special presentations from experts in these fields.

Students will use a combination of The Young Person’s Guide to Starting and Running a Business” textbook and workbook, on-line research, guest lecturers and field-based market research to learn about opportunity recognition, cost of goods, pricing, marketing and many other aspects of running a company and developing and presenting their own comprehensive business plan.

Joe Mahoney, executive director of the YEI, said in a press release: “participants are provided with a business plan template, and after learning the concepts, they complete the plan with specific information for their own business idea and present it to a panel of judges selected from the business community.”

There is no cost for students who are accepted to attend BizCamp.

Electronic applications are available at www.gov.bm and follow the BizCamp link, or send an e-mail to: [email protected]. 

Participants will be admitted on a rolling basis until there are 24 for each week.