News Release

 
For immediate release
May 4, 2004

UCCB Students’ Union Receives Support to Implement
Entrepreneurship Skill Development

Sydney, N.S. – Funding to support an initiative that will help Cape Breton students develop entrepreneurship and other skills was announced today by the Honourable Mark Eyking, MP for Sydney-Victoria and Rodger Cuzner, MP for Bras d’Or-Cape Breton.

The UCCB Students’ Union has established the Student Employment and Entrepreneurial Centre that will offer students of all ages a broad range of entrepreneurial skills through experiential learning, self-directed focused study, skills development, and individualized support and coaching. There will also be specific programs targeting the needs of aboriginal youth. Students will focus on a number of topics including everything from opportunity identification to legal issues for small businesses.

“By nurturing entrepreneurship skills in youth, they will be equipped to launch successful business ventures,” said Mark Eyking. “The Government of Canada is pleased to support this new initiative. We need to invest in our young people to give them skills they will need to succeed.”

“Entrepreneurs create more than half of the new jobs in Atlantic Canada,” said Rodger Cuzner. “The operation of the Student Entrepreneurship and Employment Centre will help to strengthen a vibrant, self-reliant business culture in Cape Breton.”

“Many young people are interested in exploring the possibility of starting their own business and the Centre will provide them with the necessary resources,” says Jamie Crane, president of the UCCB Students’ Union. “Guiding students in their career search and exposing them to entrepreneurial opportunities enhances their ability to reach their goals.”

The total estimated cost of the project is $667,100. Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation is providing a non-repayable contribution of $263,775 through ACOA’s Business Development Program (BDP).

The UCCB Students’ Union consists of roughly 3,000 students. The organization provides a proactive means of advancing the rights and interests of students through advocacy and lobbying efforts. It also provides operations and services to students, which benefit the entire UCCB community.

The Business Development Program provides small- to medium-sized enterprises access to capital in the form of interest-free, unsecured repayable contributions.

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation offers programs in support of economic development initiatives and is responsible for delivering ACOA's programs on Cape Breton Island and in the Mulgrave area.

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FOR BROADCAST USE ONLY:

FUNDING TO SUPPORT AN INITIATIVE THAT WILL HELP CAPE BRETON STUDENTS DEVELOP ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY BY THE HONOURABLE MARK EYKING, MP FOR SYDNEY - VICTORIA AND RODGER CUZNER, MP FOR BRAS D’OR - CAPE BRETON.

THE UCCB STUDENTS’ UNION HAS RECEIVED A $263,775 NON-REPAYABLE CONTRIBUTION THROUGH ECBC TO DEVELOP A STUDENT EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURIAL CENTRE THAT WILL OFFER STUDENTS OF ALL AGES A BROAD RANGE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS. THE TOTAL COST OF THIS PROJECT IS $667,100.

MP MARK EYKING SAYS THAT BY NURTURING ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS IN YOUTH THEY WILL BE EQUIPPED TO LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS VENTURES, WHILE MP RODGER CUZNER ADDS THAT THE CENTRE WILL HELP TO STRENGTHEN A VIBRANT, SELF-RELIANT BUSINESS CULTURE IN CAPE BRETON.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stephen Heckbert
Office of the Honourable Joseph McGuire
Tel: (613) 948-7293

John Coady
Office of Mark Eyking, MP
Sydney-Victoria
Tel: (902)567-6275

Office of Rodger Cuzner, MP
Bras d’Or-Cape Breton
Tel: (902) 842-9763

Jamie Crane
President, UCCB Students’ Union
Tel: (902) 563-1135

D.A. Landry
ECBC Communications
Tel: (902) 564-3617