Budding entrepreneurs will have the chance to hone their business skills next month at a free four-day e-commerce camp at Bermuda College.

And this pilot scheme could blossom into an annual Bizcamp, where students would be able to gain a special insight into the world of enterprise.

Government's e-commerce advisory board chairwoman Marisa Hall told The Royal Gazette that the free pilot programme would involve 18 lucky students, between the ages of 15 and 19, who would be picked to take part by sponsor Bank of Bermuda.

Partly organised by the Telecommunications Ministry, the camp will run from August 7 to 11 and is being developed by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in the US.

"Instructors will travel to the Island to teach youngsters the fundamental basics of how to use e-commerce in starting their own business,'' Ms Hall said.

"This camp is just a pilot programme. The end objective is to make this a familiar and fundamental option during the summers for secondary school and college students.

"The camp, in its full form, will last two to three weeks. This test camp will indicate whether Bermudian teachers should be trained to teach the NFTE curriculum.

Ms Hall said the focus of the proposed annual course "will change as the Island continues to challenge and re-invent itself, but the basic business fundamentals such as strategic thinking and business plans will remain the core of the curriculum''.

Bank of Bermuda business banking vice president Doug Selley called this a "unique'' opportunity for youngsters and encouraged "any young student who may be going into business for themselves to apply''.

Applications for the camp can be picked up at Bank of Bermuda branches from Monday onward, or from the Ministry of Telecommunications and E-Commerce or through the Babson College Alumni web site at www.

geocities.com/bda--babson--alumni.

Students are asked to return applications by July 28 to George N.H. Jones, c/o Promisant Ltd, 55 Parliament Street, Hamilton HM11 and can also send them by fax on 296-6562 or by e-mail to gjones y promisant.com.

BERMUDA COLLEGE EDC