THINK ENTREPRENEURS: A Call to Action One-Stop-Career Center Ideas

By The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education The National Organization bringing Educational Agencies and Leaders Together To Build the Field of Entrepreneurship Education

WIB Directors Reported in April % indicated that Entrepreneurship/ self-employment should be included as a career path option in assistance provided for the unemployed. However, 61% respondents indicated that their One-Stop Center staff “rarely” or “never” recognized entrepreneurship as a career choice.

The 2008 Gallup World Poll Discovered … “What the whole world now wants is a ‘good job’” Earlier those surveyed reported they desired love, money food, shelter, safety, and/or peace as paramount “Good Job” is evolving also because the social contract between big companies and employees has changed – people are now sacrificing old certainties for new risks and opportunities in their own hands

Is Your Career Center Affected By Unemployment Unemployment in the United States is at a 26-year high (9.5 % in June 2009), as businesses seek to survive by cutting jobs The majority of job losses have occurred in large companies, with the highest share among firms with 1000 or more employees

Did You Know? Small businesses are the foundation of the American economy. The Small Business Administration (SBA) reports that of the 27 million businesses in America, 20 million have no employees, and another 4 million have 5 employees or fewer Individual entrepreneurs have been the fastest growing segment in the current recession

Entrepreneurs Grow the Economy Everywhere A 2008 major study of the relationship between economic growth and entrepreneurship found that all nations with high levels of entrepreneurial activity had above-average rates of economic growth. THE ECONOMIC FUTURE JUST HAPPENED Dane Stangler, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation June 9, 2009

Can Your One-Stop Career Center Grow Entrepreneurs? Barriers Might Be… We have no staff with the expertise Performance measures are not compatible Takes too much time for the job seeker to get income Most unemployed don’t have the skills Unemployed lack the funds to start a business

How can You Meet these Challenges? Adjust Approach and Induction Practices Create Placement Success Factors that Honor Entrepreneurship as a Career Choice Develop Strategies that Encourage Self- Employment Use Tools for Assessing Self-Employment Readiness Provide Training, Coaching, and Mentoring for Potential Entrepreneurs Deliver Research & Assistance for Essential Business Information

Idea # 1 – Consider - Is the option of self-employment offered in each of these Essential Services? Initial Assessment Résumé Assistance Job Interviewing Job Search Planning Staff Assisted Job Match Job Referrals Job Development Employment Referral

Idea # 2 – Communicate that Help is available When a person first becomes unemployed, provide an introductory letter that suggests experiences the unemployed could find through the center to prepare for creating a small business as opposed to taking any job that is currently available

Idea # 3 – Assess Entrepreneurial Skills of the Unemployed Encourage clients to use a self-employment assessment or entrepreneurship checklist as part of the intake/assessment process A Entrepreneurship Technical Competency Checklist is available at that was developed from the Entrepreneurship Standards from the United States DOL Competency Modelwww.entre-ed.org The complete DOL Competency Model can be found on the Web at:

Idea # 4 – Provide Targeted Help for Selected Job-Seekers For those interested in self-employment: Orchestrate an information interview with an existing business owner Provide a list of community resources and Web sites that might improve the unemployed person’s decision-making regarding self-employment

Idea # 5 – Encourage Changes in Performance Indicators or Seek Waivers for... Participation in entrepreneurial intake assessment process Participation in training, mentoring, coaching clients to develop Entrepreneurial skills Participation in double major programs (developing both entrepreneurial skills and specific technical skills) New business starts as validated by the following: –Copies of new business licenses, registration etc. –Copies of lease or deed if operating outside the home –Copies of business plan as validated by community support system –Copies of accounting records –Self certification of hours spent on business –Client/Customer listing New business starts supported by external investors Individuals moved from welfare roles to taxpayers as business owners

Idea # 6 - Encourage Self-Employment Throughout the Center Feature self-employment: – in signs, displays, mailings, Web pages, and other appealing and prominent visual aids – Effective graphics, consistent “branding” of the concept of creating one’s own job, and repeated exposure in visual formats increase the likelihood that the idea of starting a business will catch on among the unemployed

Idea # 7 – Separate Potential Entrepreneurs by Level of Readiness Use an assessment that differentiates the type of help a person might need, based on his/her stage of development in the business formation process The Entrepreneurial Process Readiness Checklist available at is one tool for assessing the stage the potential entrepreneur is in as they are starting their businesswww.entre-ed.org

Idea # 8 – Connect Targeted Job- Seekers with Community Expertise Training, Coaching, and Mentoring Partners could include: –Community Colleges –SBA Services, SCORE, SBDC, Etc. –Adult Education Providers –Local Business Groups –Minority Business Groups, Etc.

Idea # 9 – Create Partnerships with Organizations that can serve Potential Entrepreneurs With: –Analyzing business ideas –Facilitating access to local opportunities and resources, including financing –Connecting business owners with suppliers and contractors –Helping established businesses advance to the next level

Idea # 10 – Organize Available Business Information for Easy Access Center staff should be able to direct the unemployed to a great variety of Web resources The Federal Web site provides a wealth of linked resources that can help clients seeking to become self- employedwww.business.gov Career Center Websites should link to all Entrepreneurial Support Organizations in the Community

Are You Ready to meet the Unemployment Challenge of Today and Tomorrow? Think about how your One-Stop Career Centers Can.. Create Trusting Partnerships Have Interactions that Support an Entrepreneurial Climate Continue Communication Between Entrepreneurship Assistance Providers Coordinate Training for the Self-Employed

DO YOU HAVE THE VISION? “The open door” of the Public Workforce System for meeting the needs of all seeking help in “creating” or “getting” a job “The first place” persons go for assistance for seeking opportunities for self-sufficiency “The central link” to community resources for achieving self-sufficiency

THINK ENTREPRENEURS Take Action To Serve Potential Entrepreneurs In Your One-Stop-Career Center

Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education CEE appreciates the opportunity through this Department of Labor Grant to examine the Public Workforce System and make recommendations for reinforcing opportunities for the many unemployed in our society in 2009 and the future CEE provides information about Career Centers and Training Organizations that serve as models and contacts for Entrepreneurship Training NEED HELP? Contact Us