I-USAHAWAN

The i-Usahawan programme is an initiative by the Ministry of Energy to support young Bruneians to start, own and grow their own business. Through this programme, participants have the opportunity to secure their first contract with government, government-linked companies (GLCs) and statutory bodies.

Launched in August 2018 in conjunction with the National Youth Day, the programme is a close collaboration between the Ministry of Energy, contract owners and training providers to develop entrepreneurship skills through continuous mentorship throughout the business contract for a minimum of three years.

The programme also acts as a platform for entrepreneurs to grow their business into multinational companies.

A number of contracts have been awarded by various companies under the i-Usahawan programme over the past year. On March 6, 2019, three contracts were awarded.

One contract was awarded by Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (BSP) to Syarikat Amira Barakah for the provision of canteen and vending machine services at BSP Headquarters.

The remaining two contracts were awarded by Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC). The first contract was awarded to Mortar Events for the provision of event management services, whereas the second contract was awarded to Munch Brunch Canteen for the provision of cleaning, manpower and related services.

In July 2019, a contract signing ceremony was held for two local start-up companies to provide their services to Brunei National Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (PetroleumBRUNEI) under i-Usahawan. PeteroleumBRUNEI signed the contracts with OCD-BN and DMOS Technologies to provide office cleaning services and printing services respectively.

The following month, Total E&P Borneo BV (TEPB) awarded its first contract under the i-Usahawan programme to Mohd HMS Enterprise to provide air-conditioning services and maintenance. The mentoring programme will facilitate the growth and development of the vendor in areas including health, safety and environment as well as business management.

As the driving force of the local economy, it is important for young entrepreneurs to gain experience and build their skills. The i-Usahawan programme bridges the gap between budding entrepreneurs and established companies in Brunei Darussalam. With this programme, entrepreneurs can gain hands-on experience and fulfill their potential, securing bigger business opportunities in the future.