ALPENA — The Economic Generator Network and the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship have announced the establishment of the Northeast Michigan Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) program for the upcoming Fall 2024 school year.

This program is designed to teach high school students the skills they need to start and manage their own businesses while providing real-world experiences in entrepreneurship.

Students will have the opportunity to visit businesses and hear from expert lecturers on entrepreneurship, business, and life success. They will also create and operate both a class business and their own individual businesses throughout the academic year.

The CEO program is an excellent resource for high school students in Northeast Michigan who want to learn about entrepreneurship and build their own businesses. This program also connects students to the community and local opportunities, cultivating future business owners and growing the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The Northeast Michigan CEO program is the first of its kind in Michigan and is part of a network of 62 CEO programs operating in 300 schools across seven states, with over 3400 alumni and growing. Testimonials highlight the CEO’s benefits for workforce development, innovation, and economic growth. In fact, 60% of students see themselves working at a company they engaged with, and 70% plan to stay or return to the community after high school.

The CEO program is funded by community business investors and has a rigorous application process to select students who are cut out for the class.

Tom Berriman, EGN Executive Director, notes that “one barrier we have in Alpena is developing homegrown leaders and giving them the skills to help grow our local economy.

The CEO program challenges students to think outside the box and turns them from a high school student to a young professional.”

The Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship, founded in Effingham, Illinois, is partnering with the EGN (Economic Generator Network Inc.), a non-profit organization made up of Northeast Michigan citizens and organizations who have a shared goal of continually improving the economic vitality of Northeast Michigan citizens by solving product-related problems for people around the world.

For more information, please contact Tom Berriman or visit whyceo.com.