Entrepreneur Certificate Program

Offered through a Partnership between New Jersey’s County Colleges and the N.J. Small Business Development Centers (NJSBDC) Network

Launching a new business enterprise or growing an existing one is a demanding and sometimes difficult job. The real secret to success oftentimes is having access to the knowledge, experience, and expertise of others and an eagerness to learn.

The New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) and the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers (NJSBDC) network worked together to initiate a 33-hour program, entitled the “Entrepreneur Certificate Program” (ECP). This partnership with county colleges in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State will give entrepreneurs and existing small business owners an opportunity to learn about all the necessary steps to successfully start-up a business and expand business enterprise operations. In designing and preparing this pilot program, the NJSBDC re-packaged an existing NJSBDC program that some of its regional centers have been using - - in part or in whole - - since 1995, using “best practice” approaches.

This program is structured to allow small business owners the flexibility to complete the curriculum at their own pace, on a course-by-course basis. The curriculum will be standardized statewide to ensure quality-control but also has built-in flexibility from county-to-county college. The courses and workshops offered will familiarize entrepreneurs and small business owners with business plans, legal issues, marketing strategies, financial statements, small business taxes, and small business record-keeping systems.

The ECP will be offered at 11 county colleges throughout the State starting in the Fall 2004 semester. Participating in this pilot project are Bergen, Brookdale, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Raritan Valley, and Sussex county colleges. Sussex will initiate its offerings in Spring 2005. Individuals who successfully complete this program will receive an official certificate issued by the participating county college and NJSBDC network.

The New Jersey Council of County Colleges is the state association representing New Jersey's 19 community colleges.	The NJ Small Business Development Centers network provides free management consulting and affordable training for established and aspiring small business owners.