ETP Revisited

Happy Wednesday,

For those in the greater Boston area, especially if you are on or near the North Shore, I just want to let you know that a new session of the Entrepreneurial Training Program at Northern Essex Community College begins in just a couple of weeks.

Please see this post for my impressions, and don't miss the latest comment made by Christine, a recent attendee to the program.

Here's the latest information on the program and who/how to contact:

Entrepreneurial Training Program

The ETP is designed to assist students to prepare and implement a specific, comprehensive business plan tailored to each individual entrepreneur and to provide the skills and knowledge with which to successfully implement that plan.

This intensive, comprehensive, non-credit, 20-week program covers all aspects of starting and operating a business. The curriculum includes sessions on market research, marketing tools, product/service differentiation, networking, sales techniques, presentation skills, financial management, as well as legal and insurance issues, human resources, time management, and more.

Instructor Paul Jermain of Jermain & Company, combines intensive classroom work and guest presenters, as well as one-on-one consulting to assist each entrepreneur during the start-up phase of the business.

Classroom training is followed by business plan presentations, independent work and 1:1 consulting to assist in implementing the business plan.

The next session will begin October 6, 2009, with classes at the Northern Essex Corporate and Community Education Center in North Andover.

Please note all interested individuals must attend an information session, complete an application and interview for acceptance into the program.

This program is MA Section 30 approved. Some dislocated workers and others may qualify for tuition assistance.

Call Diane Zold-Gross at 978-659-1221 or email at dzoldgross@necc.mass.edu or Dianne (Dee) Lahaye at 978-659-1222 or email dlahaye@necc.mass.edu for details, directions, and to reserve your seat. You may also call Workforce Development and Community Education about this program and other non-credit courses and programs at 978-659-1200, or visit our website at: www.necc.mass.edu/noncredit/index/php

Peace, Judi

Entrepreneurial Class

I will try to be more explanatory today, for those that don't know. In June, 2006, I accepted a voluntary severance offer from the IT company I then worked for. I promptly did all the things one does when one finds oneself unemployed - signed up for unemployment, got my resume in order, posted it on Monster and numerous other places.

While I was working I had often thought that I would like to start my own business once I retired. I realized that this was my time to be "temporarily retired", as no jobs were on the horizon.

One of the things the unemployment office offers, at least sometimes, is retraining. As luck would have it, all programs were unavailable except for an entrepreneurial training program which at the time was offered in at least 4 locations. My career center advisor, the person I worked with while unemployed, suggested the program at Northern Essex Community College. I attended an info session, applied, had an interview with the instructor for the program, and then waited. After what seemed an eternity, I found out I had been accepted.

The program ran for 20 weeks total, with the first 8 weeks being devoted to classroom with "homework", then 3 weeks geared towards creating a business plan. Then there was one week of presenting business plans to business people who critiqued the plan and presentation from their point of view, being banking, legal, etc. And finally, a few weeks for working the plan, with optional 1 hour per week meetings during this time period with the instructor.

When I finished my thought was "wow, this is like getting an MBA in 8 weeks, only better". I was exhausted but had learned so much - something no business school could have taught me (believe me, I went through a BA program nights, and except for some accounting this was almost all new to me!)

So, the reason for my post is this. This program is not only open to those on unemployment, but to anyone in the local area. I had such a good experience at NECC, that I highly recommend it to anyone in business or thinking of starting a business. A new program is about to begin, here are the details sent to me from the program's instructor:

"Entrepreneurial Training Program
The ETP is an exciting program that helps students think through their business and create a solid business plan plus provides the skills and knowledge to successfully implement that plan.
This 20 week daytime program consists of classroom training, presentations by subject matter experts, business plan presentations, and one-on-one consulting and is instructed by an experienced instructor and business consultant, Paul Jermain of Jermain & Company.
Spring session is scheduled to begin March 10, 2009. This program is MA Section 30/ITA approved; some dislocated workers and others may qualify for tuition assistance. Program is approved for Federal Education Benefits for eligible veterans, selected reservists and eligible dependents.
For information regarding the procedure for applying to this program or to reserve a seat at an information session, please call: Diane Zold-Gross at 978-659-1221 or e-mail at dzoldgross@necc.mass.edu "

I hope you find it of use to you, I sure did!

Peace, Judi