Bright young aboriginal high school students from across the prairies were pitching their business plans to a panel of judges at the seventh annual Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneur camp sponsored by the First Nations University of Canada on Friday.
Grade 12 student Milton MCarthur is from Kisbey in southeast Saskatchewan. He wants to get an accounting degree from the University of Regina. He has also come up with unique business plan that he thinks would be a big hit at airports. He came up with the idea after seeing people sleeping on floors and uncomfortable benches during long waits between flights.
“It’s called a comfort room,” he said. “A little tiny hotel room that you can get at the airport for about eight dollars an hour.”
Another student taking part is grade 12 student Kobe Goforth from the Peepeekisis First Nation, east of Fort Qu’Appelle. She wants to crack the health food market with an all-natural wholesome drink.
“All of our ingredients are going to be organic, there is not going to be any processed or artificial things because let’s face it, it’s not good for you,” she said. “It’s going to provide health benefits so you live longer and you can stay active longer, it’s something I could see marketed at pow wows.”
She is considering an education or possibly a business degree.
Youth camp coordinator Langam Goforth is impressed with this year’s crop of kids. He says starting your own business is another untapped market for aboriginal youth.
“I think it is going to be a great future as we move forward and get our First Nations youth and our First Nations people into the Canadian economy,” he said.
Goforth has big plans for next year’s Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneur camp. He wants to make it an international event, attracting more corporate sponsors and aboriginal youth from all across North America and beyond.