THINK ENTREPRENEURS: A Call to Action Integrating Entrepreneurship into the Public Workforce System Throughout America This report was made possible through Grant # MI A-39 from the Department of Labor/ Employment Training Administration

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

The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education National Content Standards released June 2004 Mission: Accelerating Entrepreneurship Everywhere! Website to provide resources for teachers Newsletter and e-Magazine – Future CEO Stars featuring benefits of programs offered by members National FORUM/Conference to provide professional development for teachers/program designers – November- Norfolk – Nov. 6-10,2009 Leading education partner of annual National Entrepreneurship Week February 20 – February 27, National Standards of Practice released in June 2006

Helping Create a Pipeline of Entrepreneurs Everywhere The Future Entrepreneurs are in our Schools today The Aspiring Entrepreneurs are everywhere in our education system and in our workplaces The Start-up Entrepreneur needs specific skills, training, mentoring and guidance toward successful practices All Entrepreneurs need the opportunity to problem solve with other entrepreneurial minded business persons A successful USA Entrepreneurial Pipeline requires a Life-Long Entrepreneurial Learning Approach!

Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education Received a grant to look at the Public Workforce System and determine how self-employment and entrepreneurship options could be enhanced as services to the unemployed Focus on helping One-Stop Center staff see person’s “dreams rather than just a job!” CEE appreciates the opportunity to examine the system and make recommendations for reinforcing opportunities for the many unemployed in our society in 2009 and the future

Benefits to Consortium Developed visibility within the Workforce Community and shared the resources of our Consortium members Created a Framework for Entrepreneurship for the training community Developed Tools for organizations to use with aspiring entrepreneurs Gained the opportunity to share Consortium capabilities at DOL expense at several workforce conferences Networked and developed relationships with many people who can be assets to the Consortium Gained knowledge of how the WIS works and can advise both workforce sector and education sector as to greater partnerships Developed case studies of effective practices occurring around the nation in the Workforce Investment System Focused the thinking of DOL policy makers on the fact that all WIS leaders need to Think Entrepreneurs if we are to have an entrepreneurial pipeline to self sufficiency throughout our nation!

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

The Changing State of the Economy Unemployment in the United States is at a 26- year high (9.8 percent in September 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 Individual entrepreneurs have been the fastest growing segment during the current recession

The Changing State of the Economy Small businesses are the foundation of the American economy. The Small Business Administration (SBA) currently reports that of the 27 million businesses in America, 20 million have no employees, and another 4 million have 5 employees or fewer. 75% no employees - 89% 5 or fewer employees

The Changing State of the Economy A 2008 major study of the relationship between economic growth and entrepreneurship found that all nations with higher levels of entrepreneurial activity had above-average rates of economic growth.

Major Barriers Discovered In Workforce Investment System Entrepreneurship is not well established in Federal and statewide policy and execution strategies Staff lacks information and training about self- employment as a career option Entrepreneurship does not fit into current WIA methods for measuring performance

Recommendations To respond to the current situations in the US economy and the public Workforce Investment System the following recommendations have been crafted. Policymakers at the Federal, State and Local levels have a role to play in helping people become self-sufficient

Recommendation # 1 Pass new federal legislation that includes a central coordinator, to break down the silos of community development, economic development, workforce development, and small business legislation

Recommendation # 2 Build partnerships among Federal Agencies that demonstrate the integration of entrepreneurship as a career option in every industry, and as one answer to all displacing events

Recommendation # 3 Provide focused on-going leadership in Federal Agencies involved with economic, community, and workforce development that coordinates rules, regulations, communications, and legislation that foster entrepreneurial development and self- employment

Recommendation # 4 Train Workforce Investment Boards in every state to implement strategic planning and strategic “doing” around employment opportunities that optimize the resources available in their locations, including opportunities for self-employment

Recommendation # 5 Change Federal and State policies to include performance indicators and success factors that focus on changing future economic conditions and recognize the value of entrepreneurship as a career choice Training, number of businesses established, and success factors should be added

Recommendation # 6 Enable One-Stop Career Centers and other Unemployment Intake Centers to participate in professional development to enhance their orientation to and understanding of opportunities for the unemployed to develop self-sufficiency as entrepreneurs

Recommendation # 7 Modify intake systems for the unemployed to focus on the interests, skills, experiences, and needs of each applicant that could lead to self- employment Help job-seekers use the entrepreneurial self- assessment checklists followed by training and mentoring as needed

Recommendation # 8 Encourage partnerships between local organizations that support the training, counseling, and mentoring needs of the unemployed who choose to become entrepreneurs Community partnerships – Share resources, capitalize on the strengths of each, and communicate regularly. Trust is essential!

Recommendation # 9 Help new entrepreneurs to establish their businesses as sustainable, tax-paying entities that can be counted as placement successes as they obtain training, plan, develop, and grow their enterprises

Recommendation #10 Develop demonstration projects of statewide systems that model recommendations in this report for assisting individuals to become self- employed

As you Review these Recommendations Remember …. A job is work that needs to be done...that someone will pay you to do. For the self-employed, their employer will be the customer! The authors believe that these recommendations, implemented with an entrepreneurial mindset, will lead to vigorous growth for individual entrepreneurs, enterprising communities, and the U.S. economy as a whole.

As you Review these Recommendations Remember …. This Call to Action seeks to merge successful economic development, education, and workforce development strategies, as the nation seeks to advance entrepreneurship as an essential answer to our current employment crisis.

As you Review these Recommendations Remember …. Maintaining the status quo is dangerous! As a nation, we must challenge ourselves through Congressional action so that our funding streams and community services for the unemployed can better address the needs of the future and not just those of the past

Call to Action! DOL/ETA needs to get the report out and begin thinking about how to cause actions requested All policy makers and WIS leaders need to Think Entrepreneurs!

As you have reviewed these Recommendations What Questions or Comments do you have? Remember insights come from everywhere! Your question(s) may help uncover new insights for you and others! There are probably more questions than clear crisp answers related to self-employment/self-sufficiency!

DOL Entrepreneurship Competency Model Developed by DOL Using Resources of CEE Released in February

Entrepreneurship Process Readiness Checklist Competency Area and Performance Statements Know How or Can Do Need Help With Explain tools used by entrepreneurs for venture planning Assess start-up requirements Assess risks associated with venture Describe external resources useful to entrepreneurs during concept development Assess the need to use external resources for concept development Describe strategies to protect intellectual property Use components of a business plan to define venture idea Comments/Thoughts/Needs

Entrepreneurship Technical Competency Checklist Competency Area and Competency Statements Have Need Comments