A new programme is to help young entrepreneurs kick-start their business ideas.

The eight-week Summer Student Entrepreneur Programme was launched last week by the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation.

Jamahl Simmons, the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, encouraged young entrepreneurs to take advantage of the programme.

He said: “Our goal is for our participants to walk away from the programme with cash in the bank, just as they would if they had gained summer employment.

“To those young Bermudians who have an idea and dram of doing for self, I encourage you to act now and seize the benefits that come from this new opportunity.”

Mr Simmons explained that the pilot programme aimed to help Bermuda’s youth “become the island’s next wave of entrepreneurs”.

He explained it would give students between the ages of 16 and 25 the resources and support to launch, grow and sustain their own business enterprises — “be it a small stand selling baked goods or an online business selling their own custom design of T-shirts”.

He added: “SSEP will provide quality educational training, financial resources and support to high school or college age students interested in one day becoming their own bosses.

“Students participating in the SSEP will receive a working capital advance by the BEDC to help towards start-up costs to execute their business idea.

“They will receive a week full of educational workshops and training on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, before setting out on their own to execute the idea.

“Support from the BEDC will be ongoing throughout the summer months.”

Mr Simmons said the Government believed “entrepreneurship is a viable career option for our young people to pursue and that age doesn’t have to be a barrier to economic success”.

But he added that there were not “nearly enough programmes and tools available to help our Bermudian youth reach their full potential in the entrepreneurial sphere”.

Mr Simmons said: “That’s why Government is partnering with the BEDC to find viable solutions for our island’s young people, so they don’t have to wait until their 30s of 40s to pursue their dreams.”

He added: “We look forward to seeing the success of this pilot programme and hope to run it annually each summer or potentially operate it year-round to provide more support to our budding, young business owners.”

The programme will start on July 9 and finish on August 31.