Overview
careers
Manager
Marketer
Independent Contractor
Sales
Small Business Owner
Enterprising Entrepreneur
The Mitchell Technical College Entrepreneurship program is a unique opportunity for skilled tradespeople to put their passions to work for them. Presented in a two-days-per-month format spread over a full school year, the Entrepreneurship program is an opportunity for students to extend their education or for those who have already begun their careers – or even already started their own businesses – to learn skills that will help them succeed as sole proprietors or in larger-scale enterprises.
The Entrepreneurship program consists of courses designed to develop strategic thinking and planning, professional selling, leadership, and project management. The eight entrepreneurship courses and four leadership courses, delivered in two days of classes monthly with assignments to be submitted between sessions, will equip graduates with the necessary skillset to launch and manage their own businesses and entrepreneurial ventures or manage existing technical businesses.
The Entrepreneurship A.A.S. degree program is ideal for past graduates of programs such as Architectural Design & Building Construction, Electrical Construction & Maintenance, Progressive Welding Technology, Diesel Power, Automation Controls/SCADA, the Culinary Academy of South Dakota, and more. Enrollment preference is given to those applicants who have completed their training at Mitchell Tech.
*NEW* – A diploma option is now available for students with no previous technical degree/diploma.
Students who apply to the Entrepreneurship program (A.A.S. or diploma) will be eligible for a single scholarship that covers 50% of their tuition and fees.
Curriculum
Award: AAS Degree or Diploma
First Semester
Students are introduced to the principles and techniques of problem solving, creativity and opportunity recognition that are critical to an entrepreneurial mindset. A wide variety of creative problem solving and theory building skills are presented and students have the opportunity to apply those to the development of an innovation or invention.
3 credits
Creating new businesses, capturing new markets, and enhancing organizational effectiveness occur through improving productivity or innovation, or both. Students will explore the building blocks to develop successful frameworks, strategies, funding techniques, business model and design-driven innovation. Focus is on the selection of an appropriate business model.
3 creditsFocus is on the startup and operation of a business. Students examine the accounting, finance, management, and marketing (tools) and processes (application of tools) as they pertain to entrepreneurial endeavors. Develops overall managerial awareness and analytical skills in small business problem solving.
3 creditsProfessional selling is predicated on question-based selling. Students learn how to conduct an interview and make recommendations to customers. This course provides students with the knowledge and skill sets needed to give them the ability to make effective sales presentations to businesses or consumers, including direct selling.
3 creditsDesigned to help students understand the principles of leadership, students will develop the knowledge, confidence, skills, and self-image necessary to pursue entrepreneurial ventures in business. Provides a foundation in the fundamentals of entrepreneurial leadership, as well as a source of how to assess and motivate themselves.
3 creditsThe Franklin Covey Leadership academy is integrated to develop leadership character and competencies. An introduction to the skills and tools necessary to become a modern leader. Each learner will evaluate personal leadership effectiveness, individual motivation strategies, and personal missions and goals
3 creditsSecond Semester
Every successful venture, big or small, started with a problem and an idea for a solution. New venture success is a measured combination of feasibility, practicality, testing, and luck. This course will teach students how to research and write an effective business plan.
3 creditsThis course will explore markets and learn how to identify and evaluate opportunities for new businesses. Topics covered include market analysis, researching venture creating opportunities, and finding a niche to operate.
3 creditsEstablishing a strong advisory board to utilize external expertise is vital to any business, small or large. This course will teach students about the team of professionals, often called an advisory board, and the impact this group of experts can make in successfully operating a business. Advisory boards may be comprised of a(n) accountant, lawyer, insurance agent, banker, and personal advisors.
3 creditsThis course will introduce students to the tools and process of gathering customer insights for identifying and developing new product opportunities. Students will acquire the knowledge and skills to turn their ideas gained from understanding customer needs into innovative products and solutions.
3 creditsEffective project management skills are important to professionals in any business. In this course, students will learn how to define, plan, and execute a project whether the goal is simple or complex. Students will discover the tools and skills for delivering projects on time and on budget while meeting performance specifications. Students will explore the basic components of project management and the project life cycle.
3 creditsThis course provides a survey of the traditional functions of management in a startup business with a primary emphasis on planning, organizing, controlling, and leading. This emphasis involves coverage of managerial decision making, leadership, motivation, interpersonal communication, staffing human resources, organizational structure, design, and change and development.
3 creditsGraduate with an AAS Degree
COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS
This program allows you to bring your own laptop as long as it meets these minimum specifications:
Processor – Intel Core i Series (i3, i5, i7) or AMD Ryzen
Operating System – Windows 10
Webcam Recommended
Memory – 4 GB or more
Internal Storage – 64 GB or more
Microsoft Office is available at no charge as long as enrolled at Mitchell Tech
NO APPLE/MAC COMPUTERS
Outcomes
At the completion of the program, graduates will be able to:
- Understand the nature of entrepreneurship
- Demonstrate knowledge of information in accounting, management, marketing and quantitative analysis
- Confirm an entrepreneurial business idea by engaging in critical thinking, analyzing situations, constructing and selecting viable solutions to solve problems
- Market the entrepreneur and their ideas
- Identify personal attributes that enable best use of entrepreneurial opportunities
- Explore and implement entrepreneurial leadership and management styles
Cost
Other Required Costs
Books / Tools (estimated) | $118 |
Scholarships
$500
1 AVAIL.
Rod Bowar Memorial Scholarship
- About
- Eligibility
- Criteria
$1000
5 AVAIL.
SD Pork Producers Scholarship
- About
- Eligibility
- Criteria
$750
1 AVAIL.
SD Municipal Electric Association Energy Production & Transmission Scholarship
SD Municipal Electric Association
- About
- Eligibility
- Criteria
$1000
1 AVAIL.
SSB Culinary Excellence Scholarship
- About
- Eligibility
- Criteria
$1000
1 AVAIL.
East River Electric Power Co-op Scholarship
East River Power Cooperative
- About
- Eligibility
- Criteria
$500
3 AVAIL.
Tessier Family Foundation – Current Students
Tessier Family Foundation
- About
- Eligibility
- Criteria
Accounting
Heating and Cooling Technology
Licensed Practical Nursing
Medical Assistant