BIG trainees posing with their hand made furniture.

BIG have had another productive year, gaining more commissions and projects that build on the services they provide. From August to October 2021, their work for the public was focused upon furniture services. They have sold numerous furniture items, such as beds, chest of drawers, baby cots and food storage cabinets. The participants at the Incubator were very pleased with all of their hard work and captured the interest of lot of external customers.

KIT interviewed former graduate, Lucy Ioataake, KIT Construction student, on how she felt about the furniture sales as a new venture;

“At first, I was very excited and prayed that the furniture we’re designing meets the expectation of our customers.”

These wishes were by far exceeded with BIG’s sold out stock. Not long after their furniture was sold, BIG received a further request to construct another bed and chest.

BIG installing hand wash basins around Tarawa and nearby outer islands.

Earlier in 2021, BIG continued to manufacture hand washing stations on behalf of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Sport and Social Affairs (MWYSSA), The Ministry of Education and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). These were installed across Tarawa and closer outer Islands in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Also this year, Biira Tito, who is a graduate of Certificate II in Construction Pathways, is the first KIT graduate with disability employed to join the BIG team. BIG are supporting members who are deaf and/or hard of hearing by encouraging others to learn KiriSign Language to communicate.

Biira Tito, a former KIT Construction student, is now a trainee at Business Incubator Group (BIG) incorporated. Pictured here building furniture.

As well as doing construction work like making furniture on-site including drawing in AUTO-CAD,  BIG participants, who mostly comprise former construction students, get to learn plumbing skills like how to install a sink. These extra skills are beneficial for their professional development.

Business Incubator Group’s current team comprises BIG Co-ordinator, admin support, ICT personnel, driver and eight participants from trade courses (Construction & Plumbing) including two participants from non-trade courses who assist with ICT tasks.

The BIG are continuing to expand and the outcome of its’ services is widely acknowledged by people on South Tarawa.