With the help of business administration professors Derek Dokter and Wendy Wright, Cerritos College has come up with a revamped Small Business Management and Entrepreneur Pathway to offer students skill sets needed to succeed in the marketplace.

Dokter and Wright applied for a grant together to fund the expansion of the small business program.

“I was really blown away and impressed with the turn out,” Wright said, “It’s encouraging because there’s been a lot of work put into trying to get this going.”

Dokter explained that in the current state of a gig economy, which emphasizes on independent and freelance work, entrepreneurship is specifically growing in the world. People may have creative thoughts and ideas, but might not know how to market them.

“We thought we could [create] a synergy for all of [the students] to learn the skill sets that are needed for small business owners and in entrepreneurship,” Dokter said, “This specific program is going to get you over that wall, that hump, whatever, it’s going to make you feel like ‘I can do it.’”

He assures that with the new pathway, Cerritos College will provide the confidence needed to be successful in the business world and build trust and rapport with customers.

As far as the attributes the program has to offer, the Entrepreneur Pathway consists of 24 units needed to get a certificate, including four essential business classes and four niche classes specific to the pathway. Eight classes in total.

“The entrepreneur mindset is an avenue [that will] trickle through all those classes,” Dokter said.

Northwood University, one of the largest all-business universities in the United States, is another resource for students interested in small business and entrepreneurship.

With the coexistence of Northwood University and pathway program, students can have a list of the exact classes needed to reach an ultimate goal.

“Eligible students can take Northwood University classes and Cerritos classes at the same time. Once [students] have achieved 24 units, [they] are eligible to start taking [their] classes at Northwood as well, which has huge financial savings,” said Judy Fox, program center manager for Northwood University located on campus.

Each class is only eight weeks long and online classes are available to those who have to work full-time or have other responsibilities.

“Students who have that fear about launching into their own entrepreneurial endeavor are among the majority. Almost every single entrepreneur who embarks on their own venture is fearful, but being able to have the educational credentials from a certificate, associates or bachelors degree gives them something to fall on,” Fox stated.

“If their entrepreneurial endeavor doesn’t work out, they still have the skills to be able to go into another area of the business world to earn a living.”

According to surveys, 34 percent of Northwood University alum own part or all of their own businesses and turn a profit within 10 years of graduation, Fox stated.

Students get personal attention from their first meeting up until graduation.

Wright is hopeful that additions can be added to the program to make it better.

The pathway program will have additional workshops on March 22 and April 5.