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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
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