THINK ENTREPRENEURS: a Call to Action
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THINK ENTREPRENEURS: A Call to Action Integrating Entrepreneurship Into the Public Workforce System Throughout America Grant # MI-17624-08-60-A-39 Submitted By: The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education 1601 West Fifth Avenue # 199 Columbus, Ohio 43212 www.entre-ed.org Phone: 614-486-6538 [email protected] Dr. Cathy Ashmore Executive Director and Lead Investigator This report was prepared for the U. S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. The information contained in this product was created by a grantee organization and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U. S. Department of Labor. All references to non-governmental companies or organizations, their services, products, or resources are offered for informational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement by the Department of Labor. Acknowledgements This report was made possible through grant # MI-17624-08-60-A-39 from the Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to examine the Public Workforce System and to determine how self-employment and entrepreneurship are (and could be) presented as options to the unemployed. The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education (CEE) gratefully acknowledges the opportunity to investigate the system and make recommendations. This research has strengthened CEE‘s opinion that the Public Workforce System should fully embrace self-employment as an option for economic and workforce development. Jonathan Simonetta and Mary Vines of DOL/ETA provided critical information, assistance, and guidance and served as liaisons among many of those involved in this work. We thank all those at ETA who participated in our briefings, provided guidance about effective practices around the country, and helped complete the Entrepreneurship Competency Model which now resides on the DOL/ETA One-Stop Career Center website. We also owe special thanks to the following individuals for their guidance and insights. A team of workforce professionals from throughout North Carolina helped focus the grant proposal, guided the work of the grant implementation team, and provided feedback throughout the grant period. Workforce Investment Board (WIB) Director Scott Sheely of Lancaster, PA, provided guidance and made his staff and development partners available to us. They willingly shared how they work with and through the WIB to enhance the economic opportunities of their area. Steve Duval, Eloise Vitelli, and Mark Delisle of Maine provided examples of successful and promising self-employment initiatives and emphasized the need for long-term champions for the unemployed. Aimee Bropst and Toa Do from the Falls Church area of Northern Virginia shared great ideas for public-private partnerships that help the unemployed establish businesses and jobs. Lynne Cutler of WORC in Philadelphia, PA, offered data and insights from a program focused on helping unemployed women become self-sufficient through entrepreneurial initiatives. Roger Shackleford, Beth Lucas, Myra Beatty, and others in North Carolina provided insights into the operation of the Public Workforce System as well as the newly implemented Project GATE Demonstration Grant. Countless others across the nation shared time via phone, SurveyMonkey, and e-mail to equip the study team of Dr. Cathy Ashmore, Horace Robertson, and Cheryl Young as they focused on determining how the Public Workforce System currently integrates entrepreneurship into the system. Gair McCullough edited the final thoughts and helped create a cogent document that conveys the message shared by everyone we interacted with—that entrepreneurship is an essential element in turning around the U.S. economy and the lives of unemployed and displaced workers. THINK ENTREPRENEURS: A Call to Action p. 2 of 198 Acronyms Used in the Think Entrepreneurs: A Call to Action Report AEO = Association for Enterprise Opportunity BDAG = Business Development Assistance Group, Inc. BETA = Business and Entrepreneurial Technical Assistance BDS = Business Dynamic Statistics BIC = Business Information Clearinghouse BIZ = Business BLS = Bureau of Labor Statistics CBE = Classroom Business Enterprise CC = Community College CEC = Certified Entrepreneurial Community CEE = Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education CEO = Chief Executive Officer CICP = Central Indiana Corporate partnership COM = Commerce Meaning a business enterprise on the Internet CQIN = Continuous Quality Improvement Network DOE = Department of Education DOL/ETA = Department of Labor/ Employment & Training Administration DOL = Department of Labor EDC = Economic Development Consortium EDU = Education - Meaning an educational institution on the Internet ELS = Entrepreneurial League System ETA = Employment & Training Administration THINK ENTREPRENEURS: A Call to Action p. 3 of 198 GATE = Growing America through Entrepreneurship GAO = Government Accountability Office GEM = Global Entrepreneurship Monitor GOV = Government IESN = Indiana Energy Systems Network K-12 = The education system from Kindergarten through grade 12 K-14 = The education system from Kindergarten through 2 years of post high school K-16 = The education system from Kindergarten through 4 years of post high school LEA = Local Education Agency LILA = Life Long Learning Accounts LCC = Lansing Community College LLC = Limited Liability Corporation LUCAATS = Luzerne County Academic Assessment Tracking System MEO = Maine Enterprise Option MMIT = Mid Michigan Innovation Team MSU = Michigan State University NFIB = National Federation of Independent Businesses NSAI = North Star Alliance Initiative NET = Net meaning a connection on the Internet NVCC = Northern Virginia Community College NW = North West ORG = Organization Meaning an organization on the Internet (Generally not for Profit) PLTW = Project Lead The Way THINK ENTREPRENEURS: A Call to Action p. 4 of 198 PSW = Pre-Seed workshops PTP = Piedmont Triad Project R&D = Research and Development REAL = Rural Entrepreneurship Action Learning SBA = Small Business Administration SBDC = Small Business Development Center SBIR = Small Business Innovation Research SCORE = Service Corps of Retired Executives SEA = Self-Employment Assistance SEC = Section STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics STTR = Small Business Technology Transfer SVSU = Saginaw Valley State University TANF = Temporary Assistance to Needy Families TEGLS = Training and Employment Guidance Letters TEN = The Entrepreneurial Network 2 + 2 Program = Two years of high school coupled with two years of post-secondary studies U. S. = United States USDA = United States Department of Agriculture USDOL = United States Department of Labor WDC = Workforce Development Council WDS = Workforce Development System WIA = Workforce Investment Act THINK ENTREPRENEURS: A Call to Action p. 5 of 198 WIB = Workforce Investment Boards WINGS = ―Wings of the WREN‖- Women‘s Rural Economic Network program for girls WIRED = Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development WNC = Western North Carolina WREN = Women‘s Rural Economic Network WORC = Women‘s Opportunities Resource Center YEA = Youth Entrepreneur Academy YES = Youth Entrepreneur Surry YO = Youth Opportunity THINK ENTREPRENEURS: A Call to Action p. 6 of 198 Table of Contents Section Page Executive Summary ..……………………………………………………………9 Overview..……………………………………………………………………….13 Section A: The Case for Entrepreneurship .…………………………………14 1. Small Business: Basis of the American Economy 2. Status of Unemployment 3. Need for the Entrepreneurial Mindset 4. Entrepreneurship in Workforce Development Section B: Policy Issues ……………………………………………………… 21 1. Equality of Entrepreneurship as a Career Option 2. Revising Core Performance Measures 3. Legislation that Empowers the Unemployed to Choose Self-Employment 4. Collaboration among Federal Agencies as a Model for States Section C: Self-Employment Assistance Option (SEA) ……………………..27 1. The Choice for All States to Adopt SEA 2. Changing the Mindset toward the SEA Option 3. Dealing with Business Organizations and Legislatures Section D: Leadership of Local Workforce Investment Boards ….………..31 1. Embracing Self-Employment as an Option 2. Addressing Regional Needs through Strategic Planning 3. Training Workforce Investment Board Leadership 4. Fostering Entrepreneurial Behavior among Local WIB Directors 5. Making Decisions Based on Strategic Planning and Partnerships 6. The Need for Effective Management 7. Regional Asset Mapping 8. Establishing Funding Streams to Support Needed Services Section E: Local Staff Motivation ..…………………………………………..39 1. Training Staff to See and Value Entrepreneurship as a Viable Option 2. Developing Positive Orientation toward Contributions of Small Business 3. Benefits of Entrepreneurship for Staff and Region 4. Role Models THINK ENTREPRENEURS: A Call to Action p. 7 of 198 Section F: Local Career Center Model ..……………………………………..45 1. Approach and Induction Practices 2. Placement Success Factors that Honor Entrepreneurship as a Career Choice 3. Developing One-Stop Career Centers that Encourage Self-Employment 4. Tools for Assessing Self-Employment Readiness 5. Training, Coaching, and Mentoring Entrepreneurs 6. Researching Essential Business Information Section G: Local Organization Collaboration ..……………………………..54 1. Creating Trusting Partnerships 2. Interactions that Support an Entrepreneurial Climate 3. Defining Partners‘ Roles and Support Systems 4. Communication Between Entrepreneurship Assistance Providers 5. Coordinating Training for the Self-Employed 6.