When his wife, a speech language therapist, secured a job in Medicine Hat, the family headed back west.
That’s when he came aboard with MHC in August 2010 to lead the new project that was the entrepreneurial centre.
“It was my job to make it work and to find a way to make it sustainable, because the funding was very short term and there was no real plan on the initial period,” said Sookocheff.
“I started working with students right away, just identifying them and just really getting out of there to meet people.”
could be understanding what’s needed to set up a business, for visual communication students it could be how to set up a freelancing business, for students in the trades it could be more training and building connections.
One of his first proposals was a launch of the summer business company where students could create and run a business over the summer. The idea was based off of the Ontario government’s Summer Company program, but here would be locally funded and run out of the postsecondary system.
“ ”
All too often the response to an idea is ‘That’ll never work,’ or ‘You’re a dreamer.'
This idea was bolstered as JMH & Co. came on board with a total of $250,000 over five years donated to MHC to finance these student-run enterprises.
“JMH has really taken a leadership role,” said Sookocheff. “We owe a lot to them.”
Three companies were launched during the summer of 2011, and three more during the summer of 2012 thanks to the program — photography, landscaping, massage therapy — even helping the launch of a swimsuit design company.
While the job is about helping students create a business for the summer, Sookocheff explained it’s also about creating a business that fits in with their education and where they’re heading after graduation.
For massage therapy students it
“The support from business owners and the business community on this has been fantastic. It just wouldn’t even be possible without them,” said Sookocheff.
"We provide the start-up capital, that’s important too, but the connections that we’re making and the openness and the support for entrepreneurship that’s being built is equally important, if not more so.”
And looking forward, Sookocheff sees multiple possibilities for the centre — taking it from being a start-up program to turning it into a well-oiled machine.
There's development of research capacity for the centre, he said, and acting as a service to the community, economic development agencies and businesses, as well as students within the college.
“But we also I think can play a leadership role within the province by sharing what we’ve learned,” said Sookocheff. Since MHC launched the summer job program, JMH & CO. has gone on to partner with Mount Royal University to replicate a similar program, while Olds College is doing similar work.
But seeing the success of the businesses launched is the highlight for Sookocheff.
Most recently this includes MHC student Anthony Merkel of Elevation Landscaping being shortlisted for student entrepreneur of the year with ACE Canada.
“We’re just punching above our weight and competing with places like the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Waterloo with the work that we’re doing and what we’re helping students achieve,” said Sookocheff.
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