Timmins, ON: Northern College has pledged to the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship’s (NACCE), an organization dedicated to creating economic vitality through entrepreneurship. The NACCE’s Presidents for Entrepreneurship Pledge asks Community College Presidents to commit to advancing entrepreneurship in their communities, and to create a culture of entrepreneurship on their campuses.
The NACCE believe colleges are ideally positioned to take the lead in furthering entrepreneurship. This belief is based on college accessibility, strong ties to local communities, affordability, and diversity of college student bases by age and work experience.  The college supports local economic development by providing educational opportunities that give would-be entrepreneurs and existing owners of small business the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
Northern College President Fred Gibbons is now one of only three college Presidents in Canada to take the pledge.
“Entrepreneurship is such an important part of today’s cultural and economic landscape,” said President Gibbons. “Our students benefit from the skills they learn through entrepreneurship, regardless whether they choose to start their own business, or not. Entrepreneurs are creative and resilient hard-workers who bring a wealth of energy and innovative thinking to any organization they join. This pledge we have made is an outward sign of our commitment to make entrepreneurship a vibrant part of Northern College’s culture.”
Entrepreneurship is a vital part of a country’s economy in part because start-ups stimulate the economy by creating jobs. In a 2014 report, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) identified new firms under five years of age as “net job creators.” The same report showed that even during the 2009 recession, young firms remained net job creators.
Northern College’s Entrepreneur Centre is committed to spreading awareness about entrepreneurship, and to provide opportunities for students to build their business skills and knowledge. The ultimate goal is to encourage students that entrepreneurship may be a viable career option following graduation, and that they can access significant resources while in college to help develop and validate their business ideas.
For more information about the Entrepreneur Centre, email entrepreneur@northern.on.ca or call 705-235-3211 ext. 2173.
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Media Contact:
Jaret Dicks
Acting Manager of Marketing, Communications and Alumni
705.235.3211 ext. 7230
dicksj@northern.on.ca