As a way to provide veterans, active military members and their spouses with resources, support and workforce training, Hillsborough Community College (HCC) has established an entrepreneurship program.
In partnership with Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), Hillsborough Community College launched the program Startup Training Resources to Inspire Veteran Entrepreneurship (STRIVE).
HCC is the first community college in the country to partner with Syracuse’s IVMF. IVMF is a national program that helps support and advance the lives of veterans and their families post-service.
“It has been a remarkably successful program and is considered today to be the top-tier platinum program to deliver that kind of service to veterans,” says Dr. Andy Gold, co-founder of the HCC Center for Entrepreneurship and Operation Startup.
In order to be a part of an IVMF program, veterans need to search for a partnered university in their area. If accepted into the program, the veterans travel and spend nine consecutive days learning how to transform their business.
However, many veterans or spouses of veterans cannot afford to take time to attend a nine-day program. Thus, after a year of planning, STRIVE was established.
The program is split into three phrases that will take place sporadically over the course of six weeks. This layout caters to those military members with jobs, children and those who are unable to travel for extended periods of time.
