Cuba Introduces Entrepreneurship Course in Technical Schools Nationwide

In a move aimed at fostering entrepreneurial skills among students, Cuba's technical schools have begun integrating a new course focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and small business management for third-year students. This decision follows a pilot program conducted during the previous academic year.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) announced that this course will be implemented across all technical schools in the country starting in the 2026 school year.

Titled "Introduction to Innovative and Creative Entrepreneurship for Local Development with Mid-Level Technicians," the course is designed to complement the technical training students receive in their various specialties.

The primary goal is to cultivate mid-level technicians who can devise solutions for community problems, develop their initiatives, and gain valuable knowledge for entering the labor market or starting a business.

This initiative follows a trial run last school year involving 25 technical centers and over 4,600 students.

Youth from seven provinces were trained in skills related to the business world, entrepreneurship generation, and job access.

Among them was José Ernesto Solano, a student at the Antonio Robert Ducas Technical School in Santiago de Cuba, who aspires to become a barber. "I always wanted to be a barber since I was a child. Someone at home taught me the basics. Later, my school offered a course that helped me learn what I needed to manage my business effectively," he shared with UNDP.

Private businesses from various regions also participated. In Santiago de Cuba, for instance, the Zuturo project engaged with students about the skills and needs required in the private sector labor market.

Another student, Samanta Osorio, studying Hotel Accommodation at the Pepito Tey Technical School, emphasized the practical aspect of the training: "I've learned to be creative, to find solutions with whatever resources I have locally."

This initiative is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (COSUDE) and guided by UNDP, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the National Institute of Economic Research, and local governments.

Revamping Technical Education for Job Opportunities

The experience builds on the work done by PROFET, a project launched in 2019 to enhance Technical and Professional Education and improve young people's employment prospects.

PROFET reached 53 technical centers across 36 municipalities and all 15 Cuban provinces, with initiatives related to fields like agriculture, construction, services, transportation, mechanics, and communications.

The program also aimed to strengthen ties between educational institutions and local employment entities.

Typically, technical and vocational schools accept students starting at ages 15 and 16, offering training in 103 specialties, including construction, information technology, and beauty services.

The introduction of business-related content comes at a time when the Cuban government continues to implement changes to expand and reorganize the role of the private sector in the economy.

The significance of this new course is heightened by recent measures taken by the Cuban regime to broaden the private sector's role in the economy.

This week, for instance, Cuba formally legislated the incorporation of private companies with over 100 employees, effectively removing the previous cap that limited private businesses to smaller sizes.

The new legislation allows these companies to define their structure and workforce, make investments, and, with prior authorization, engage in direct import and export, while the State retains various oversight and control mechanisms over their operations.