Self-Employment Assistance Program
Self-Employment Assistance Program (SEAP)
Have you decided to start your own business? The Northwest Business Training Center can help. Our 5-week business training program called "Business Boot Camp" can provide you with a strong business foundation and practical training. (For more information on the business training series, see "Services & Class Description.")
The Northwest Business Training Center is approved by the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) as an Approved Provider. This means that once approved by Employment Security Dept., you will continue to collect unemployment benefits while you receive entrepreneurial training and business counseling during the five-week course plus the additonal 5-month additional consulting. The Self-Employment Assistance Program (SEAP) does not pay for class fees. You are responsible for any financial planning needed to complete the training program.
The Business Boot Camp training is considered a full-time (35 hour per week) course which meets for 5 weeks for 2 1/2 hours per week. You will have homework which is what you will work on outside of class. This homework is research and the building of your business. As an entrepreneur "in planning," you will learn marketing, finance, and business operations and management.
As an approved SEAP provider, our program features three components:
Business Consulting for Business Boot Camp Students
Northwest Business Training Center consulting service is available to you at no additional cost for the full 6-months. As you move through the Business Boot Camp program preparing to establish your practice, we will provide general business counseling that includes not only how to succeed professionally, but also to discuss personal budgeting, credit, how to fund your business venture, and related business issues.
Throughout the program, you have the opportunity to meet with a Northwest Business Training Center consultant to discuss your business idea and cover areas in bookkeeping, sales, pricing, operations, human resources, legal structures, financing your business, and other topics relating to your business.
A Business Boot Camp Certificate of Completion and a "Letter of Completion" is awarded by the instructor and is based on student’s completion of the course with a completed business plan.
Once approved for the SEAP program...
When you have been approved by ESD to participate in the Business Boot Camp, you will attend the 5-session training program and then continue working with your trainer for an additional 5-months to continue to build your business. You will continue working with your instructor completing your business plan and progressing through your business start-up phase. The "end-date" of the program is a full 6-months in order for you to continue to build your business while continuing to receive UI benefits.
During this 6-month period, Employment Security Department will send you "Progress Reports" every 6 weeks for you to complete, sign and have your instructor sign, and fax in to their office. This Progress Report continue to be sent to you until the end of the program (6-months). Then you send them the final Letter of Completion.
