A new proposed program aims to give young people the knowledge they need to start or run a business, and we’re thrilled to see that in the works in Northeast Michigan.

Alpena’s Economic Generator Network, in partnership with Alpena Community College, plans to launch a new program called Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities, or CEO, News staff writer Temi Fadayomi reported recently. Through the program, which would act as a dual enrollment program allowing students to earn high school and college credits, kids would learn directly from local business leaders what it takes to run a business.

“They develop real business skills and gain hands-on experience, learning how to run a business from those that are currently doing it within our community,” Tom Berriman, executive director of the Economic Generator Network, told Fadayomi. “It’ll not only be the first of its kind in Northeast Michigan, it’ll be the first of its kind in the entire state of Michigan.”

The CEO program is slated to start accepting students in fall 2024, but a lot of work has to happen before then. Berriman told Fadayomi the Economic Generator Network still must find a board for the CEO program, recruit businesses to participate, and find investors to fund the program.

We’re excited about what the program could mean for our region. Not only would students learn valuable, employable skills to help them enter the workforce, they also would build relationships with local leaders that could encourage them to stay or come back to Northeast Michigan to use those skills.

We urge business leaders in our community to reach out to Berriman to participate, and those able to do so to consider investing in the program.

We’d love to see the CEO program get off the ground.