The Center for International Trade Development, in coordination with the Youth Entrepreneurship Program, will be holding events later this month and next month to help students who are interested in owning their own business.

The Youth Entrepreneurship Program is part of the Center for International Trade Development’s push to widen both domestic and international students’ views of the world around them and beyond their own community so that students who are interested in owning their own business are able to understand the complexity of operating a business in today’s economic environment.

“The program is designed as a gateway for high school and community college students that are interested in owning their own business,” said Assistant Pcyeta Jackson of the Youth Entrepreneurship Program.

The Center for International Trade Development’s goal as an organization is to assist small-to medium-size businesses with entering the field of international trade. The Center for International Trade Development also helps students learn the complexities of operating and trading throughout the state and on the international stage. The center serves businesses within San Mateo County, San Francisco County and Marin County.

The Youth Entrepreneurship Program is designed to provide a gateway for both high school and college students who are interested in owning their own businesses. The program targets students between the ages of 16 and 27 and provides entrepreneurship workshops, training and mentoring.

“The (Youth Entrepreneurship) Program from where I see it has been successful,” Jackson said. “We are still developing parts of the program right now, and we have entrepreneurship classes that have been very successful. We also graduated a class in the fall semester (of last year).”

“One of the key things that Skyline College focuses on is the different perspective, the globalization of the campus,” Director Rich A.F. Soyombo said in an interview last fall as he explained the role of the Center for International Trade here at Skyline College.

Jackson says there are plans to expand the program in the future by working with community-based organizations, which will allow both students and members of the community access to the program.

If you are interested in finding out more, you can contact Pcyeta Jackson by calling her at 650-738-7098 or emailing her at [email protected]. Or you can contact Richard A.F. Soyombo [email protected].

Upcoming events for the Youth Entrepreneurship Program and The Center for International Trade Development are:

• 09/09-15 Green Construction Trade Mission to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

• 03/01 YEP training at the Young Community Developers in San Francisco

• 03/01 YEP training Program at Hunters Point Family in San Francisco

• 03/15 YEP training at Marin City Community Development Corps in Sausalito

• 03/22 YEP workshops at Career Day at Peninsula High School in San Bruno

• 03/24 Table/presenter at Rock The School Bells at Skyline College