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Background
The Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) Program has been in existence since 1998. Since that time Washington Greene County Job Training Agency, Inc. has and continues to operate the SEA Program throughout the three-county areas of Washington, Beaver and Greene. During the first year of operation, our Agency was selected as Pennsylvania's role model for SEA.
Eligibility
To qualify, a person, in addition to being a resident of the above three-county area, must be considered a permanent layoff status, does not belong to a union, and approved to receive 26 weeks of unemployment compensation benefits. The initial step for enrollment into SEA is attending an orientation with Washington Greene County Job Training Agency within the first ten weeks of opening an unemployment compensation claim.
Recruitment
Recruitment for the SEA Program is done throught the cooperation of the abovementioned three-county area CareerLinks and the SEA Coordinator. In addition, the PA Department of Labor, on a weekly basis, sends out letters to persons profiled as potential candidates for SEA. Information is provided from these two sources about who to contact.
Format
The SEA
Program offers three 1/2 weeks of classroom training by a group of professional trainers. The training sessions include the following: business plan preparation and critique, legal and insurance issues, marketing and advertising, accounting and bookkeeping and small loan financing. In addition, individual counseling is provided, as well as supportive services on an as needed basis. Upon the completion of the classroom training, the SEA Coordinator conducts a three-year follow up with each client concerning their business progress.
Program Benefits
Qualifying individuals who elect to enroll in the SEA Program receive the benefit of becoming self-employed while not jeopardizing the amount or receipt of their full 26 weeks of UC compensation income in any manner. In addition, the professional training is free, and participants are welcome to come back at any time to repeat any part of the curriculum.
Program Success
Since 1998, Washington Greene County Job Training Agency has served approximately 370 clients and has enjoyed a self-employment success rate of 65%. In addition, there are many businesses currently pending start-ups.
| Self Employment Assistance Program Trainers |
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Neil Fogarty |
Lawyer; also teaches at University of Pittsburgh and University of Duquesne; also has a Cable TV network program concerning Entrepreneurship. |
Business Plan Preparation |
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Raymond L. Vargo |
Senior Management Consultant for the University of Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center. |
Small Business Startup Procedures Business Plan Financials |
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Michael Resetar |
Owns and operates private accounting practice |
Bookkeeping/Record Keeping Small Business Accounting Principles |
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Lynn Emerson |
Owns and operates private legal practice focusing on personal and business needs of individuals, business owners, etc. |
Small Business Legal issues |
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Theresa Kletch |
Owns and operates her own small business marketing and advertising services (was a former SEA participant) |
Small Business Advertising and Marketing needs. Covers small business web design. |
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John Roche |
Vice-President of Rogers Insurance Agency |
Small business insurance needs |
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Al Hill |
Representative of the Washington County Council for Economic Development |
Discusses Agency's small business loan packages |
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Jim Medved |
Washington Federal Savings Bank Small Business Loan Officer |
Review Bank's small business loan practices and requirements |
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