Business Development & Entrepreneurship
Our entrepreneurship and business development training programme is specially designed to provide guidance and mentorship to individuals who want to start their own businesses. The business development component of our programme helps our HEART graduates with the start-up funding required to get their small businesses off the ground.
Not only does our programme equip trainees with an understanding of the core concepts within entrepreneurship, but it furnishes them with the knowledge, skills and awareness of the attitudes necessary to operate a small business enterprise.
With our business development and entrepreneurship programme, trainees are supported to:
- Understand the nature of entrepreneurship
- Understand and manage risks within a business
- Conduct market research
- Develop new products and marketing plans
- Foster qualities of leadership, responsibility and autonomy required to operate a business
The duration of training depends on the level and kind of support trainees may need. Our full-time programme lasts between 9 months and a year, and our part time programme may take up to 18 months.
At the end of the training, participants receive job certification, a National Vocation Qualification Jamaica (NVQ-J) certificate, and Caribbean Vocational Certificate (CVQ), which demonstrate their successful completion of the programme.
Micro Business Management
Offered to individuals who own or operate a business falling in the category of MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), our Micro Business Management Programme focuses on training business owners to become fully versed in the operational aspects of their business.
The programme equips small business owners with the practical skills and knowledge they will need to run their business from day to day, including financing, feasibility analysis, franchising, human resource management, ethics, government regulation and tax.
Participants in our Micro Business Management programme are supported to:
- Plan the operational aspects of their business
- Maintain business finances
- Run their business in accordance with good corporate governance practices
- Bring their business in line with relevant regulatory requirements
The duration of training depends on the level and kind of support trainees may need, and may last between 3 months and 2 years. Full time and part time options are available.
At the end of the training, participants receive job certification, a National Vocation Qualification Jamaica (NVQ-J) certificate, and Caribbean Vocational Certificate (CVQ), which demonstrate their successful completion of the programme.
Rural Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (RYEEP)
Through our partnership with 4H clubs and the Development Bank of Jamaica, our Rural Youth Economic Empowerment Programme is specially designed to empower young people by helping develop, support and expand agriculture-based entrepreneurship.
Participants in the RYEEP are supported to
- Turn their agricultural interests into feasible and thriving business
- Apply business strategy to agricultural interests and skills
- Access grant funding for business start-up and expansion
At the end of the training, participants receive a National Vocation Qualification Jamaica (NVQ-J) certificate, and Caribbean Vocational Certificate (CVQ), which demonstrate their successful completion of the programme.
Duration: 1 year.
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Programme
Our Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Programme supports MSMEs with training, capacity-building and grant funding, as well as provides them with a spectrum of technical assistance to help improve their performance.
Offered to individuals who own or operate a business falling in the category of MSME, our MSME programme is designed to help improve productivity and competitiveness, expand access to capital, promote the formalisation of small businesses and foster sustainability of start-ups.
Programme participants are supported to:
- Develop and improve the skills required to effectively manage their small businesses
- Get the technical support necessary to expand their operations
- Access funding for business start-up and expansion
- Improve business efficiency and productivity
The duration of training depends on the level and kind of support trainees may need, and may last between 3 months and 2 years. Our training officers will visit businesses directly, and will conduct various seminars and workshops.
At the end of the training, participants receive job certification, a National Vocation Qualification Jamaica (NVQ-J) certificate, and Caribbean Vocational Certificate (CVQ), which demonstrate their successful completion of the programme.
Trainee Business Start-Up Programme
The purpose of our Trainee Business Start-Up Programme is to help provide guidance and direction to HEART Trainees who want to start their own businesses. The programme is designed to help structure and formalise informal business activity and support trainees in bringing their business ideas to fruition.
Trainees are supported to:
- Become empowered self-employed contributors to the economy
- Register their business and have them comply with laws, regulatory frameworks and practices
- Develop and improve their business and technical skills
- Strengthen their employability and entrepreneurial skill sets
- Position themselves to access grant funding for business establishment and growth
At the end of the training, participants will have their business names registered, and will receive a certificate which demonstrates their successful completion of the programme.
Duration: 12 to 18 months.