Joel Libava
(This is a Sponsored Post)
Today’s college graduates don’t have it very easy.
Years ago, graduating from college meant you were nearly guaranteed employment and some level of job security. That piece of paper automatically gave you an advantage that many of your peers did not have. But, times have changed and created a much different post-college experience for young people. Some of them are experiencing a perfect storm:
- Massive amounts of student loan debt
- Limited employment opportunities and intense competition for those few positions
- New corporate cultures that don’t reward longevity
It’s not a pretty picture. Especially for those who are entrepreneurially-minded.
College Is Still Good
While it’s true that time spent at a four-year college can be long on theory and short on real-life experience, it still can provide a solid foundation for those looking to become entrepreneurs. And, foundations can be built on.
There are opportunities to work with others that are engaged in entrepreneurial pursuits. Working on college-level projects with like-minded students can provide great lessons in teamwork, project management, and idea-sharing.
In addition, attending college helps students become independent and creative thinkers. The workload and fast-paced environment creates individuals who can multi-task; a skill which becomes invaluable in future employment situations. And, for many students, college is the first time in their life where they are making their own decisions, they know the choices they make will impact the future…college instills a sense of commitment in many young people.
Networking opportunities abound on college campuses. Fellow students, graduate student teachers…even local corporate executives that make frequent visits to college campuses, can all end up becoming future resources to tap into after graduation.
Entrepreneurial Training Is Lacking
So yes, college is still valuable, and in most cases a degree is a requirement to get you through the door of most professional companies. But, for the most part, colleges just don’t offer options for entrepreneurial students to actually own and run their own business.
And, that’s too bad, according to Judith Cone. She feels that learning the building blocks of business, things like marketing, accounting and management, are crucial for those who want to become the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Cone, the VP of Entrepreneurship for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation feels that “Today’s students want to learn how to recognize opportunity, harness the resources to exploit that opportunity, exercise their creativity, create sustainable solutions, take the inherent risks, and participate in the rewards.” Read her article here.
While some colleges are starting to offer entrepreneurial courses of study (which is a good thing), it’s not the same as learning how to actually run a business in the trenches.
Unless you become involved with College Pro.
The College Pro College Student Opportunity
The executive team at College Pro feels that nothing beats real-life experience, when it comes to running a business. College Pro encourages students and young entrepreneurs to challenge themselves to stop reading about business and start running their own.
But, running a College Pro franchise business is hard work…it’s not for everyone. The students who work for College Pro will give up a care-free summer to own and operate their own local seasonal painting or window cleaning franchise. They will be responsible for generating business, customer service, hiring staff, managing finances, and of course…making a profit.
College Pro has been offering this opportunity to young people in the US and Canada since 1971. Every year College Pro receives over 25,000 applications to their program. Of those, 750 are chosen to participate in the program. The 750 who are selected will learn things like:
- Leadership
- Marketing
- Selling
- Financial Management
- Employee Management
- Customer Service
- Project Management
- Problem Solving
Unique Opportunity for Future Entrepreneurs
There’s no other program like it.
The next generation is an ambitious bunch. It’s an entrepreneurial one. One way to turn their ambitions into action is to allow them to experience the ups and downs of business ownership, their own businesses, on a daily basis.
The College Pro franchise opportunity can provide today’s college students with a solid entrepreneurial foundation that can prepare them for the unique challenges and opportunities of business ownership.
For more information on the College Pro opportunity, please visit CollegePro.com
Image courtesy of Jason Bache, on Flickr
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