Entrepreneurial skills at U.B.; where you wanna be

There was a second event at the University that brought out the entrepreneurship skills of a number of students. From ceviche to pastries and crafts, the students had to make and market their products as a prerequisite to their final grades. Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

There was an expo at the University of Belize in Belmopan. There were several booths made up of marketing students showing off their entrepreneurship skills in establishing a business from scratch.

Rosica Gutierrez

Rosica Gutierrez, Marketing Student, University of Belize

“Today for the marketing expo we are providing Ceviche. We have three different kinds: the shrimp Ceviche, the conch Ceviche and the mix. The price for each one is six dollars for the shrimp, six dollars for the conch and seven dollars for the mix.”

Delicious nachos from Jemmer’s Deli Cocina…

Rosella Coc

Rosella Coc, Manager, Jemmer’s Deli Cocina

“Welcome to Jemmer’s Deli Concina where we have three types of nachos as you can see. We have lovely young ladies working there doing their thing. We have the four dollars nachos with sour cream, mozzarella cheese, chicken and beef to come along with the chips—Supreme Nachos. We have the three dollars nachos, where you have the nacho cheese, jalapeno sauce, tomato sauce and chips and how you like it—chicken or beef—you get it. And then you have the last but not least, the regular nachos with just mozzarella cheese, nacho cheese and chips. Like I said before these are just displays, we have young ladies working and ready to offer hot, hot nachos.”

…even healthy salads and fruit drinks from the Fruity Parlor.

Victor Murga

Victor Murga, The Fruity Parlor

“We sell fruit salads with ice creams or without; we sell juices as well. It is a healthy way to have a snack after lunch or something. It’s a product that is very low cost and very healthy.”

Duane Moody

“How did you guys come up with this concept [and] product? And why?”

Victor Murga

“Well we saw everyone selling food and soft drinks and smoothies. So we decided let’s go with something healthy and it is gonna sell.”

And while there were lots to eat and drink, there were other booths that appealed to the kid in you. Wiiderland Gaming Cafe, according to Joyce, caters to game heads as well as those who love to dance.

Chia Wei “Joyce” Chang

Chia Wei “Joyce” Chang, Member, Wiiderland

“We not only provide games, but soft drinks for those who want it. all those who come to our booth can not only play the games here. We have sporting games, we have racing, we have shooting and we have dancing games which you just tried out—and we also have adventurous games here. And what we are doing is sharing the fun and the experience of playing video games. There can be four people playing at the same time or playing against the computer.”

But the expo is a prerequisite and will represent forty percent of the students’ final grade, says Adjunct Lecturer, Rosalie Casey.

Rosalie Casey

Rosalie Casey, Adjunct Lecturer, Principles of Marketing Course

“They have to come up with their own idea of a product that they will produce and align and admix so that on this day, they don’t come out here with one little product. They have got to do all the advertising, prepare their business plan; they have to do their brochures and business card; all the banners and posters and everything. And they have got to make their stall look very attractive.”

Duane Moody

“They are getting a grade for this?”

Rosalie Casey

“Yes, this is their final exam. So this is forty percent of their grades. Then the other tests on the theories and so on make up the rest, the other sixty percent.”

Duane Moody for News Five.