ENTREPREURSHIP is something that you can learn and only a few are born with the acumen. The LiveWIRE Brunei Bright Ideas workshop is where you can learn the basics of starting up a business.

Pengiran Redzuan Pengiran Haji Abbas, the Programme Director of LiveWIRE Brunei said this in an interview with the Bulletin during the final day of eh Bright Ideas workshop held in Berakas.

“This is where it all begins … the reason why we organise this workshop is to teach participants a basic skill for entrepreneurship.

“You may not want to get into business immediately but by joining this two-day workshop, we provided the knowledge and understanding without you actually realising it, we were preparing you for the future,” said
Pengiran Redzuan.

The programme during the two-day workshop was designed to be different from formal academic institutions; it had the element of ‘Fun in Learning’.

The reason behind this is to enable participants to enjoy the programme and keep them interested and at the same time become more productive.

Since its establishment in 2001, a total of 2,500 participants have joined the workshop and about one-third of them have ventured into entrepreneurship in different kinds of businesses.

“Previously, we concentrated on the youth between 18 and 30 years of age but we recently opened up to other age groups because we realised the needs of the rest of them to understand the initial stage of starting up a business.

“As long as you have some interest and commitment to start up a business, that will
be sufficient enough to join the English-based workshop,” said Pengiran Redzuan.

The two-day workshop attracted participants from various backgrounds ranging from school students to master’s degree holders and from civil servants to doctors.

Dyg Roslaini Othman, who has a background in property management, summarised her experience she gained from the workshop as “Brilliant!”

“I think it’s a course that should be attended by anyone interested in business, not necessarily in opening up a new business but for anyone who wants to turn a new page in their lives,” said Roslaini.

Hj Ismail Hj Ibrahim, who worked with Brunei Shell Petroleum for more than 30 years, said, “The course is very informative and gave us guidance and an overview of what to expect.”

Hj Ismail, accompanied by his wife, Hjh Florinda, and daughter, Nursyahadah, joined the workshop hoping to open up a family business in the future.

“We built up business knowledge from joining the course and gained more exposure in terms of communications while at the same time had fun and met new people,” said Hjh Florinda and her daughter.
The two-day workshop ended with a unique certificate presentation where each participant was given an envelope at random. Participants would then go to the person with his/her name written on the envelope and congratulate them. This method is used in every Bright Ideas workshop.

Details and schedule of upcoming LiveWIRE Brunei programmes are available online at www.livewire-brunei.com. Interested parties are encouraged to visit the website or contact the LiveWIRE Community Development directly at 2220962, 2220964, 2220951.

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