October 29, 2013 – Graduates of skilled trades educational and apprenticeship programs in Manitoba are being offered a new set of tools to complement the skills of their trade and build a business through Entrepreneurship in the Skilled Trades.

Presented by the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) and supported by the Government of Manitoba, this initiative provides workshops, mentoring, start-up financing, networking opportunities and online resources to Manitoba-based skilled tradespeople between 18 and 39 who are interested in gaining the entrepreneurial skills needed to run their own business.

“Part of being an entrepreneur is gaining expertise in business planning, money management and directing operations,” said Joelle Foster, CYBF’s Manitoba director. “So rather than the learning curve relying on trial and error, CYBF is proactively offering to support Manitobans in the skilled trades.”

Being held in Brandon and Winkler, a series of workshops will offer the likes of construction electricians ways to develop entrepreneurial thinking that can be applied to both starting a business and becoming a better employee. Topics include effective business planning, financing, hiring employees and marketing.

Participants can also apply to receive up to $45,000 in start-up financing as well as one-on-one expert mentoring to help launch their businesses through CYBF’s Start-up Program.

“This will help support people to develop the skills they need to be competitive when they start a business in their trade, which complements the province’s Journeyperson Business Start Program that provides up to $2500 to skilled journeypersons to start a business in rural Manitoba,” said Theresa Oswald, minister of jobs and the economy, who noted the province is contributing $20,000.

Two, 2-day educational sessions will be offered to post-graduates of a skilled trades program from December to January. For more information, visit www.cybf.ca/skilledtrades .