New Certification: Entrepreneurship-led Economic Development

The IEDC introduced a new professional certification yesterday.  Entrepreneurship-led Economic Development certification is designed for professionals who work with entrepreneurs and small businesses as well as those that support them via programs, networks and approaches that foster small business and entrepreneurial growth.

Requirements include two years of paid, full time in economic development or entrepreneurial support, five courses (four required and one elective), and a two part exam.

The required courses are:

• Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Strategies (ESBDS)
• Introduction to Entrepreneurship-Led Economic Development (ELED I)
• Accelerating Growth through Entrepreneurship-Led Economic Development (ELED II)
• ED Credit Analysis

Candidates must choose from one of these electives:

• Neighborhood Development Strategies
• Tech-led Economic Development
• Business Retention and Expansion
• ED Finance Programs

The exam consists of two parts.  The first is multiple choice, to asses knowledge of the corurse material.  The second is oral:

As part of the course curriculum, attendees will be asked to identify an issue facing their organization or program and develop a plan to address that issue. The idea is to encourage translation of the skills learned in the classroom directly to the attendee’s work. Exam candidates will be asked to submit a brief project write-up and make a presentation during the oral interview. Oral graders will assess and provide feedback.

Because of the pandemic, the exam will only be offered online in the near term.