Porgera chamber hopes business training will help youths start SMEs

Youth & Careers

More than 50 youths from Lagaip-Porgera will be undertaking two-week business training at the Porgera Technical and Vocational Training Centre, thanks to the Porgera Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).
Chamber president Nickson Pakea told The National that the programme was part of its initiation to address social problems.
Pakea said the training would create opportunities and pathways for youths to venture into small to medium enterprises (SMEs).
“This is first training facilitated by PCCI in partnership with Barrick, Porgera Joint Venture, IPI group of Companies and SME Corporation and I’d like to thank them,” he said.
“We, as an industry, want to build capacity and provide financial incentives for our people to start their own small businesses to help them become independent and self-reliant.”
Pakea said they hoped to produce 400 small businesses in 2019 through the programme.
He encouraged the 50 participants – 30 of who were women – to see it as an opportunity and take ownership of it. Pakea said first 50 youths already graduated from the Tvet centre with certificates and were now training the second batch of participants.
“I urge all youths to take this opportunity and make the best of it,” he said.