Youth officers and youth trainers from the four divisions have been urged to nurture the potential of Fijain youth in the country through the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ Know About Business program.
Addressing participants of the week long Know About Business Training of Trainers workshop at the Centre for Appropriate Technology and Development in Nadave, the Ministry’s permanent secretary Mr Josefa Sania reiterated the need for Fijian youth to venture into entrepreneurship.
“I hope that you will put into practice all the valuable lessons gained through the workshop for the enhancement of our country’s youth which I am sure will be boosted once you take this Know About Business initiative to their doorstep,” he said.
Mr Sania added that in the past, officers who had undertaken the Training of Trainers workshop did not disseminate what they had learnt during the training. “I urge you as youth officers and youth training officers to take back all that you have learnt and understood through the 9 modules which you are about to partake in for the development of our young people.
“Take this chance to fully grasp the mechanisms behind the implementation of a successful business and advocate to young Fijians the benefits of entrepreneurship,” said the permanent secretary.
He stated that there was tremendous potential in young Fijians and that the onus was on youth workers to help youths realise it. “Our role is to nurture and assist them in order for them to realise their full potential and at the same time instil in them that much needed confidence that is imperative for them to successfully establish and manage their very own youth run enterprise,” Mr Sania said.
Mr Sania also emphasised the importance of the workshop in addressing the rate of unemployment in the country and that entrepreneurship offered solutions to the problem.
“Unemployment is a global issue and as is the case everywhere else in the world, the job market is scarce. “A remedy to this problem is entrepreneurship and through this workshop, you can assist young people understand the concepts of entrepreneurship which is to be innovative and creative for socio-economic benefits so youths can establish their own businesses in order to create jobs rather than become job seekers,” he added.
Community business trainer Inoke Nasinivata thanked the ministry for the workshop which was aimed at setting up more youth entrepreneurial opportunities around the country.
“This workshop is a timely one as youths have regularly been enquiring as to how soon a workshop on business management can be conducted for them in order for them to successfully run their own projects,” Mr Nasinivata said.
“I look forward to this one week training workshop as it will greatly help the youths that I closely work with in the province of Naitasiri and also youths from around the country,” he added.