Nova Scotia/Northern Ireland Entrepreneurs on Exchange

The world of opportunities is about to expand for 10 young entrepreneurs as they participate in the Nova Scotia/Northern Ireland Exchange for Young Entrepreneurs.

Five Irish participants will tour the province with their Nova Scotian hosts next week, Sept. 12-19, meeting with new and established entrepreneurs. Their five Nova Scotian counterparts will travel to Northern Ireland in the last week of October.

The exchange is a joint project of Nova Scotia Economic Development, the Black Business Initiative and the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development (CEED). The Northern Ireland partners are Action Resource Centre and Shell LiveWIRE Ltd.

"Both the Nova Scotia and the Northern Ireland economies have a strong emphasis on entrepreneurial growth," said Brian Watson of Nova Scotia Economic Development. "The goal of the exchange program is to give a group of highly motivated young entrepreneurs exposure to a variety of businesses and contacts. This may allow them to grow their businesses internationally."

The itinerary for the Nova Scotia portion of the exchange will take the participants to a wide range of businesses and venture development projects across the province. Each participant will develop a personal action plan based on what they have learned from their experiences in the exchange.

Their plans may include future co-operation between group members or business owners encountered on the exchange. Each group will also identify areas or suggested ways for the other region's group to develop their businesses both at the local and international level.

The Nova Scotia portion of the exchange is being managed by CEED. The centre is a joint venture funded by the Department of Education and the Canada/Nova Scotia COOPERATION Agreement on Economic Diversification. The agreement is managed by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Nova Scotia Economic Development.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For a detailed itinerary and biographies of the exchange participants, contact Krista Murphy at the above number or e-mail address.