11th and 12th-grade students at Smithers Secondary were presented with a sweet business opportunity Thursday.

The school, alongside the Smithers Chamber and Northwest Community College, will have created an on-line entrepreneurship course.

Enrolled Students will have 10 guest lectures, learn the ins and outs of business, and a lucky few will even operate their very own ice cream parlour this summer

Grade 12 student Ashlyn Mehr says the timing might not be the best, but this could be the beginning of a great opportunity.

“I almost wish that it happened when I was a little bit younger because in grade 12 I already have lots of stuff going on,” she says, “it’s only during the summer. It’d be cool if they could bring in stuff that when all year round to give more opportunity.”

Technology services principal Matthew Monkman says that students can absolutely succeed at running the seasonal business.

“Some of the students are hungry for this type of an opportunity,” he says, “they’ve been going to classes where they don’t see, perhaps, immediate application of what they’re learning in the classroom and here’s an opportunity to learn something and have it be immediately applicable.”

While all active students will receive the four academic credits, the young entrepreneurs must pitch their business bid in the “Grizzly Den” in April in order to be given a shot at the parlour’s keys.

This course stretches from secondary to post-secondary learning facilities. Northwest Community College students in the Ace-It program will be designing and creating the mobile shop. The Chamber will donate the building materials (with help from sponsors PIR and Smithers Lumbar Yard), freezer units, and the trailer which the shop will be erected atop.

The course begins in November.