The Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono, distributed certificates and cheques for €3,000 each to eleven newly established self-employed Gozitans who have successfully participated in a scheme launched by ETC in Gozo.

The ‘Start up your business in Gozo’ was a programme created to help Gozitan persons who wished to open their own business activities in gozo and was particularly aimed to those persons who were registering for work with ETC. Women who were interested in going back to work were also eligible to apply. The programme offered participants the opportunity to enhance their skills and acquire experience which they would need to satisfactorily start up their own business, while providing them with a means of living. The scheme also included an imprenditorial donation of €3,000 to each participant who would have registered as a self-employed person with ETC.

These programmes were designed on three principal phases. During the first phase participants attended a training course of 140 hours duration, which was based on creativity and the acquisition of effective business skills. Training included sessions on the legal aspects of business, civil administrative regulations, the designing of a business plan as well as other management skills. During the second phase participants could prepare to start up their own business by working on their business plan. Some of them could actually start the process by preparing the necessary permits and official documentation needed in the running of their business. The new businesses were established in the third phase whilst participants could put into practice the knowledge gained through their training. Furthermore they were also able to apply for further training provided by ETC in order to continue to develop their skills.

Eleven participants successfully concluded the process which resulted in the setting-up of eleven new business activities on Gozo. The nature of the business varies from retail and rental of electronic equipment and other audio-visual equipment, limestone sculpture, carpentry, the production of local traditional foods, and other tourist services. During the presentation ceremony Minister Giovanna Debono praised the initiative of all partecipants especially since they believed in their own abilities and availed themselves of the opportunity posed to them through this scheme. It is satisfactory to note that through this scheme eleven persons who were registering for work have now successfully set up their own business. This means that apart from creating eleven new jobs, this scheme has also provided these people with the potential to generate more employment.

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