About Us

The Enterprise Development Division’s (EDD) mandate includes creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurs. Members of staff of the EDD, were enrolled in the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Start and Improve Your Business Training of Trainers programme.  The programme teaches trainers to use the experiential learning approach to provide entrepreneurs with the necessary tools and techniques to start, develop and grow their business.

The programme also includes a practical element of training.  The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Division a division of the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service, was identified as a ready pool of participants to train.   The programme’s administrators were enthusiastic to support. The students in the current cohort had completed their training in various vocational skills and were preparing for exit of the programme.  Having completed their vocational training was seen as positive as students would have possible ideas to consider for their business.

The students were seen as a best fit for the Generate Your Business training as most were still at the ideation phase and had not decided on an idea or started businesses.  

The Generate Your Business Idea (GYB) is a training programme for individuals who want to start a business but are not sure of the business idea to pursue. It assists potential entrepreneurs to identify different business ideas, to analyse them and select the most promising one. GYB complements ILO’s Start Your Business (SYB) training programme as a potential entrepreneur needs to have a clear idea of the business they propose to start.

The EDD members of staff were part of three (3) teams, each team teaching a group of approximately twenty (20) participants.  Each training ran for two (2) days  between November 11^th -19^th 2024. The training sites were at the CCC’s facilities located in Mausica, Princes Town and Port-of-Spain.

A combination of both male and female participants between the ages of 18-25 were trained.  The feedback from the participants was quiet positive. There was a high overall appreciation of the seminar’s content and delivery, with minor areas identified for enhancement.  

Participants appreciated the approachable and helpful nature of the trainers, which made learning easier.   The trainers were praised for explaining concepts clearly and ensuring participants understood before moving on. Participants enjoyed the interactive nature of the sessions, with opportunities to contribute and discuss ideas.  

The training was seen as relevant and informative, providing valuable knowledge and skills for starting a business. Participants felt encouraged to be open-minded and overcome self-doubt, fostering a positive learning experience. Some participants specifically enjoyed learning about certain topics, such as SWOT.

The EDD, in collaboration with the CCC’s management team, is actively working on developing proposals for follow-up training programmes tailored to future CCC cohorts. These initiatives are aligned with the EDD’s objectives and, by extension, the Ministry’s mandate to advance youth entrepreneurship as a key component of the National Development Agenda.