On June 27, 2024, a new group of aspiring entrepreneurs will embark on a eight-week Summer Student Entrepreneur Programme (SSEP), in its seventh year, organized by BEDC. This programme is designed to foster commercial and organizational skills, having already produced 56 graduates since its inception.
Participants range in age from 13 to 23, and this year’s cohort features a small class of up to ten participants. The SSEP equips them with essential business skills such as revenue earning, business plan creation, and SWOT analysis – a strategic planning technique that identifies a business’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Deshun Simmons, BEDC’s assistant communication and development officer, coordinates the SSEP and noted that most students have an early interest in entrepreneurship despite their school commitments. The programme has lowered its age requirement from 16 to 13 to cater to the evident entrepreneurial spirit among the younger generation.
The Minister of Economy and Labour, Jason Hayward, expressed his support for the programme, emphasizing its practical business training and opportunities for young entrepreneurs to develop and grow their ventures. He considers these small businesses crucial not only for the economy but also for creating positive change within the society.
In this programme, students receive educational training, resources, and support to establish, grow, and maintain their businesses. Upon completion of the programme, they will earn financial rewards for their sales and business performance, with the top three performers receiving additional incentives.
Attendance is mandatory at the public launch event on July 18 at City Hall and the closing ceremony on August 23. Through this initiative, Bermuda aims to nurture a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and support the development of a new wave of business leaders.