COASTAL BEND COLLEGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
Name of Model:
Entrepreneurship 101
Purpose of Program: To provide a summer youth program for young
people (ages 14-21) who are interested in entrepreneurial training. This
program is open to the general public, including WIA youth participants.
The program is designed to prepare the participants with the skills
needed to plan, organize, and implement a small business in their
community. When the participants have completed the six weeks, they
should have a thorough understanding of the entrepreneurial process.
Goals of the Program: (Open to all young people, regardless of their
socio-economic level, to participate in a six week experience of business
ownership and education.)
To encourage young people who are at-risk to remain in school,
providing them with academic training to achieve that goal.
To provide participants with an opportunity to look at small
business ownership as a career option while encouraging them to
remain in their communities.
To allow participants to experience the workplace in a controlled
setting.
To motivate participants to continue their education at the
post-secondary level.
To expose participants to the concepts of community and service
learning in a community setting.
Objectives of the Program:
To provide motivational sessions to encourage these young people
to remain in school and to pursue goal-oriented education.
To provide participants with an opportunity to meet local business
owners to learn about the benefits of small business ownership.
To provide work experiences to reinforce learning activities.
To give the participants the tools needed to pursue business
opportunities within their home communities.
Description of the Program:
This program will consist of six weeks of training, beginning June
27 and ending August 5. Young people from the general population will
attend this program for eight hours per day, five days per week.
Training will be held at the Coastal Bend College site in Alice, Texas, at
704 Coyote Trail.
A business plan will be developed by the students and critiqued by
a representative from the Small Business Development Center and at
least one area banker. From that plan the business will be built.
Participants will spend four hours per day creating the products
that will be designed and the other four hours learning the support
activities that go along with running a business. Each participant will be
exposed to all aspects of the business operation and will be crosstrained to fill in at each job. The products will be designed using
AutoCad drafting software and will be built in the woodworking shop at
the college.
Computer software designed for small business operations will be
used for training. These applications will include: Peachtree for
accounting, PowerPoint for presentations, and Excel for spreadsheets.
Counseling and mentoring will be available on a day-to-day basis to
encourage the participants to complete the program. Group sessions will
be held with the young people to instruct them in problem solving, both
in their daily lives and on the job.
The WIA youth program participants will be paid bi-weekly
computed at the wage rate of $5.75 per hour for a forty hour week.
Strict attendance records will be kept for compliance.
An awards ceremony will be held at the conclusion of the program
and participants will be encouraged to invite their parents and families
to view their products. Digital video footage will be shot throughout the
project and a PowerPoint presentation will be developed to show at the
final awards ceremony. The WIA participants will also present their
video at the Workforce board meeting in August.
The products that the participants will produce will be wood items,
such as “yard art” for sale in the community. The funds that are made
from the sale of these items will be used for the awards ceremony at
the completion of the program. If the project is “hugely successful”
funds could be set up in a CBC scholarship to assist one or more of the
participants to attend college.
Project Participants:
This program will be open to any young people in the area
interested in creating/operating their own business. Young people who
qualify for WIA benefits will be selected by the staff at Workforce I.
Participants must range in age from fourteen to twenty-one.
Service Deliverers:
Delivery of this project will be handled by faculty and staff of
Coastal Bend College in Alice, and qualified as college instructors. The
college’s staff has experience working with disadvantaged youth.
Personnel for this project are listed below:
Director/Coordinator – A director/coordinator will be employed for
the project and will also serve as instructor for computer training. This
individual will supervise the project employees and the participants at
the instructional site. Careful selection of this individual will be
undertaken to ensure that their background and education matches the
needs of the program and its participants. This individual will work
eight hours per day for the six week period.
Instructor – One instructor will be hired for this project.
Selection is based on the criteria established by the college.
Demonstrated ability to work with at-risk and disadvantaged students
will be a strong determinant in the selection process. This instructor
will be paid for eight hours of instruction per day for the six week
period.
Lab Assistants – Two lab assistants will be hired to support the
instructor and director. Special labs will be set up for various aspects
of the program and each lab assistant will be responsible for the
participants and their progress. These individuals will work eight hours
per day for the six week period.
Secretary/Clerk – One secretary/clerk will be hired to support the
director/coordinator with record keeping and budgeting. This individual
will work eight hours per day for the six week period.
Support Services/Resources:
Coastal Bend College will provide the following resources for this
project designated in the budget as “in-kind”: administrative
supervision, secretarial assistance, office, classroom space and lab
facilities, utilities and maintenance (including telephone usage) and
maintenance of college owned equipment used in the project.
Program Outcomes:
At least 80% of all participants will complete the program.
At least 50% of all participants will show an interest in pursuing
a career in some type of business enterprise.
At least 90% of all participants will return to high school in the
fall term, if applicable.
At least 100% of all participants will be exposed to career
exploration opportunities in their region.
At least 100% of the participants will be exposed to “service
learning” opportunities in their region.
Cost of Program:
The estimated total cost for the program is $57,350.00. Estimated
cost per participant is $2389.58. The total cost breakdown is as
follows.
1. Instructional Costs of $19,920. This includes the
director/coordinator, the instructor, two lab assistants,
and a clerk/secretary.
2. Student stipends of $33,120.00. This is computed on eight
hour days, five days per week for six weeks at $5.75 per
hour, for a total of $1380.00 per student.
3. Supplies and materials of $4000. This includes classroom
materials and supplies, wood materials and supplies, paint
supplies, office supplies, and marketing/labeling supplies.
4. Insurance premiums for the participants to cover accidents,
etc. are $310.00.