A Comprehensive Approach to

 Preparing Tomorrow's Entrepreneurial Leaders

The Challenge

The New York/New Jersey metropolitan area has a long tradition of being one of the most fertile business and industry centers in the world. For this trend to continue, companies require access to college graduates who possess work experience, technological competencies, management skills, and entrepreneurial training.

The Program

The NJIT Kauffman Entrepreneur Internship program is an innovative approach to preparing college graduates for key leadership positions in your company. Through a comprehensive, three-stage approach, we intend to reduce competency gaps that exist between industry's workforce needs and the skills that graduates have gained through traditional educational programs. We will prepare entrepreneurial leaders through the following:

Training Academy

The Academy operates under a dual mission of entrepreneurial development and information dissemination. The Academy provides on-going comprehensive education and training programs for interns and employers.

Internship at an Entrepreneurial Company

Internships will be scheduled for 40 students beginning May 2008. Internships can be fifteen week full time (40 hours per week) or part time (at least 16 hours per week) assignments.

Academic Seminar

Students will enroll in either the New Venture Management Course or the Entrepreneur Strategy Course during or prior to their internship to ensure integration of theory and experience. The courses will provide students with an understanding of start-up processes and early stage management of new technology based small firms.

Program Goals

The NJIT Kauffman Entrepreneur Internship Program will prepare NJIT graduates for entrepreneurial positions in a technological industry. Through employment in your company and entrepreneurship training at NJIT we will provide students with the opportunity to:

• Broaden their education and technological skills;
• Develop entrepreneurial skills and business management competencies;
• Understand the dynamics of starting and operating an entrepreneurial firm; and
• Learn entrepreneurial career options.

Learning outcomes of the program lead to employees who understand how to:

• Recognize opportunity and conduct a cost benefit analysis;
• Develop and write a business plan;
• Create or buy, and manage an independently owned business;
• Develop a marketing plan;
• Acquire and manage business finances;
• Develop and facilitate effective presentations; and
• Determine the cost benefit of technology integration.

Benefits of Participation

The NJIT Kauffman Entrepreneur Internship Program gives your company access to high-achieving, technologically proficient students who are seeking experience in an engineering and/or high technology industry.

Benefits to companies include:

• Assistance with technology integration;
• Productivity improvement;
• Infusion of new ideas and viewpoints;
• Pool of future graduates who possess related experience, business management competencies, and technological skills;
• Lower recruitment time and costs;
• Adding diversity to your company;
• Training received through the NJIT/Kauffman Entrepreneurship Academy; and
• Developing partnerships with NJIT.

Participation Requirements

Companies

Engineering and technology based companies having $100 million or less in annual revenue and/or fewer than 200 employees are eligible. Moreover, we seek companies whose CEO or president embrace the program. Companies that provide outstanding employment opportunities and learning environments will be most seriously considered.

Students

Engineering, computer science, and management students will be targeted for program participation. Requirements for undergraduate students include completion of the sophomore year in any major and a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Graduate students require a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and must be a management major.

Company Activities Timetable for Summer 2008 Interns

Activities Table for Summer 2008

The Kauffman Center

The Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership was established in 1992 by a truly remarkable entrepreneur, Ewing Marion Kauffman. Mr. Kauffman built a small pharmaceutical firm into a major health care company with more than $1 billion in sales at the time of its merger with Merrell Dow. The Kauffman Center, in Kansas City, Missouri, is an independent 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. It pursues a vision for accelerating entrepreneurship in America.

To participate in the NJIT/Kauffman Internship Program, click here for a Company Profile form.

Fill out the form and return to Mr. Louis Cain.

For more information please contact:

Mr. Louis Cain

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Division of Career Development Services

University Heights

Newark, NJ 07102

973.596.3219

Cain@njit.edu