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U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification Examination
The U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification Examination is an entry-level assessment that is customized for high school students and adult learners to measure a foundational yet comprehensive understanding of entrepreneurship knowledge, skills, and mindsets required for individuals to successfully start a business in any career field, reducing the risk of business failure. This value-added entrepreneurship credential is also important in developing the workforce readiness skills and entrepreneurial mindset required by today’s employers in the Innovation & Gig Economy while simultaneously equipping individuals with self-employment options for the future.
TARGET AUDIENCES
The U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification Examination is an education and workforce development credential for high school, adult and literacy education (HSE/GED/IET and ABE/ESL levels), correctional education, workforce training, and postsecondary education. Personalized certification certificate and digital badge are included.
LITERACY LEVELS
Two Practice Exams are provided in the Exam Resources Package written on different literacy levels—one written on a High School and HSE/GED/IET level and one written on a lower literacy level intended to be a scaffold for high school students reading below grade level as well as ABE/ESL learners. Scaffolding instructional strategies and tips are included. Both Practice Exams assess the same important entrepreneurship content required for successfully starting a business. However, please note that the actual certification exam is not written on a lower literacy level. Testing accommodations are available.
TOPICS
The entrepreneurship knowledge, skills, and mindsets measured on the U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification Examination include the following 12 content areas:
Entrepreneurship Introduction
Economics
Opportunity & Research
Design Thinking & Lean Startup
Business Model Canvas & Business Plan
Types of Businesses
Marketing & Sales
Finance
Resources & Operations Management
Communications
Ethics & Risk Management
Growth & Exit Strategies
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STANDARDS-BASED
The U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification Examination is based on the National Content Standards for Entrepreneurship Education, state-level Career and Technical Education (CTE) entrepreneurship competencies, and industry standards. This single certification exam covers the content of other credentialing organization’s multiple entrepreneurship certification exams at a lower cost and often higher pass rate.
INDUSTRY-APPROVED
The U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification Examination is an industry-approved certification exam. The questions were developed, reviewed, and revised in partnership with national subject matter experts in academia and industry leaders, including America’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE). Both industry leaders offer free or low cost advising, mentoring, webinars, resources, guest speakers, and networking as next steps for individuals interested in growing a business. Details in the Exam Manual.
CAREER CLUSTERS
Developed by the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), the modernized National Career Clusters® Framework designates entrepreneurship as a “Cross-Cutting Cluster.” It is recommended that a semester course of entrepreneurship is paired with all career clusters, culminating with the U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification Examination. An entrepreneurship course should also qualify as a completer (capstone) course. For example, course sequences might include:
- Plumbing I, Plumbing II + Entrepreneurship Course
- Carpentry I, Carpentry II + Entrepreneurship Course
- Cosmetology I, Cosmetology II + Entrepreneurship Course
High-quality education and employment outcomes prepare students to open their own businesses in any technical career field and succeed as innovative, intrapreneurial employees working for other people’s businesses in the Innovation & Gig Economy.
CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING
The U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification Examination is accepted as 3 hours of Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) at community colleges and other postsecondary institutions nationwide. Email Dr. Cheryl Ayers at cheryl42@vt.edu for details.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Online Entrepreneurship Institutes for high school teachers and adult educators (two separate Institutes) are offered annually. These national and state-specific Institutes are aligned with the U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification Examination, equipping participants with the content knowledge, instructional strategies, curriculum, and 400+ classroom-ready resources that they need to teach entrepreneurship while preparing high school students and adult learners to pass the exam. 3 Hours of university undergraduate or graduate credit is optional for $135. Email Dr. Cheryl Ayers at cheryl42@vt.edu for details.
PREPARATION RESOURCES
The Exam Resources Package includes the following preparation resources:
- Free Exam Manual
- Credential Administrators & Partners, Examination Information & Administration, Examination Blueprint & Resources Package, and Entrepreneurship Competencies
- Study Guide / Curriculum Framework
- Independent learning and self-directed review guide or curriculum framework for teaching one to two-semester courses in entrepreneurship
- Two Practice Exams
- Assess the same entrepreneurship content, just written on different literacy levels
- Reading Guide
- Reading sections utilize a free entrepreneurship e-textbook, including student and teacher accounts plus instructional resources
- Vocabulary List
- List of vocabulary words for the 12 content areas of entrepreneurship measured on the exam
- E-SESS Participant Guide
- E-SESS online assessment platform instructions for exam takers
A complimentary copy of the Exam Resources Package is available to administrators and educators for previewing purposes. Email Dr. Cheryl Ayers at cheryl42@vt.edu for details.
