Pass It Forward Speakers
News Release
Contact: Charles Eason, Wil Cason Phone: (707) 864-3382
Date: For Immediate Release www.solanosbdc.org
Young Entrepreneur Program in Solano County
FairfieldCalifornia, – Students in SolanoCounty are experiencing first hand the critical skills for starting a business through a special Young Entrepreneur Program (YEP). The program is being funded by a $60,000 grant that the Solano College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) received from the State of California Economic and Workforce Development Program. The cornerstone of the program is to inspire students to achieve personal, academic, and business success.
Solano youth ages 14-27 are eligible to participate in the YEP program which includes an after-school program consisting of movie day focused on motivation and goal setting, a financial literacy day, understanding the small business world day, and business simulation day. After completing the after-school program, the youth participate in an individual learning project where they are assigned a SBDC business advisor to work with them one-on-one on the creation of a business plan.
Charles Eason, Director of the SBDC, said, “We had 42 very motivated youth participate in our pilot program launched this summer in Vacaville and Vallejo. There is a tremendous need to prepare young entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into a thriving business. Entrepreneurship is an important element for increasing the self-confidence levels of students.”
Wil Cason, the YEP Program Coordinator, said, “We are committed to providing students with a global view on entrepreneurship and how they can develop the necessary skills of becoming world leaders. Many students have a desire to achieve their dreams and goals of developing a business. However they need guidance, a clear plan, and encouragement.”
The program is designed for students who have a desire to become a business owner. The program focuses on practical interpersonal and technical skills needed to own and operate a business. The goal of YEP is to provide information, knowledge, and “real world” experience to help students master business related skills. Eason stated, “Another element of the Solano YEP program will be to offer young entrepreneurs a chance to do an internship/apprenticeship program at actual small businesses to gain real world experience”.
“We are teaching students how to develop their passion and talents into a business,” Cason said. Some students who participated in the summer program expressed ideas of staring a tee shirt business, customized shoe company, and international fashion design company”.
The Solano College SBDC will be conducting a second YEP program this fall starting the second week of October. There is no cost for youth to participate. For more information regarding the YEP program call the SBDC at 864-3382 or visit www.solanosbdc.org to register online.
|
