Overview:

The Business & Finance cluster is designed to help high school students who are interested in a career in business and/or finance to succeed in college. Students are also prepared to become successful in their own businesses. Coursework is offered in financial planning, banking, insurance, international finance, entrepreneurship, and accounting.

HigHligHTS:

Participate in Local and National CompetitionsStudents compete in Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC), Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurial Education (IIEE), National Foundation for Teaching entrepreneurship (NFTe) annual Business Plan, and Business Professionals of America (BPA) competitions.

Earn Money for Continued StudyStudents work with entrepreneurship partners to compete for scholarship dollars.

Learn from the ExpertsStudents participate in the CeO series at UiC to learn about careers in the industry from professionals.

Gain Skills for CollegeSkills and experiences gained contribute to success in college and further business studies.

CAreerS TO CONSider

with a college degree:Accountant: $45,750–$88,110Personal Financial Advisor: $34,330–$104,390Operations Manager: $60,030–$150,980Small Business Owner: $34,000–and up

with a Professional certification/degree:Loan Officer: $37,760–$96,320Project Manager: $34,110–$66,680

with a high school diPloma:Bill and Account Collector: $24,160–$41,120Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk: $25,490–$43,588Bank Teller: $21,270–$29,320

Figures indicate range of annual wages for entry level through experienced employees, based on IDES data.

indUstrY infoAccounting is the language of business, and both accounting and finance are about more than just numbers or pencil pushing.

There are 16.5 million small businesses in the United States.

do you…have an interest in managing and investing money?

want to own your own business?

enjoy problem solving and working in teams?

want to manage the finances of a Fortune 500 company?

Then business & finance is a good fit for you!

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QUestions? visit Career and Technical education at www.chooseyourfuture.org or call 773-553-2108

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CAreer ANd TeCHNiCAl edUCATiON

Business & Finance

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BUsiness & finance Programs:

AccountingStudents explore the fundamentals of accounting through training and classroom projects. They use business skills, accounting software, real-world source documents, financial statements, and multimedia as they master the ropes of corporate accounting. Students gain the experience and education necessary to succeed in both college-level courses as well as entry-level accounting positions.

Schools with Accounting: • ABeA • Kelly • Simeon • Corliss • lake view • Sullivan • Curie • lane • westinghouse • Harlan • richards • Young • Julian • Schurz

Certifications & Articulation Agreements: • W!SE Financial Literacy Certification

• City Colleges of Chicago

• robert Morris University

BUsiness and finance activities and events: • Accounting Day with Robert Morris University• BPA Programs and Competitions • Adrian Project with the IRS• Entrepreneurship Day with NFTE and IIEE• NFTE and CEC Business Plan Competitions

samPle of indUstrY Partners • Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)• National Academy Foundation (NAF)• CitiGroup• Polaris Wealth Management• The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago• The Illinois Council on Economic Education• Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Council (CEC)• Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC)• Enterprise Law Group, LLC• JA’s• Duff & Phelps, LLC• AT&T• Office of the City, County & State Treasurer• Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurial Education (IIEE)• Internal Revenue Service (IRS)• Deloitte• JPMorgan Chase• KPMG

EntrepreneurshipStudents are provided with practical hands-on experience needed to successfully operate a small business. Courses cover a wide variety of topics including return on investment, supply and demand, opportunity recognition, personal finance, cost/benefit analysis, and sales and marketing. The program goal is to write, present and defend a business plan through a series of competitions for seed money for businesses. The program culminates in a citywide business plan competition.

Schools with entrepreneurship: • ABeA • Kelly • Sullivan • Brooks • richards • washington • Harlan • Schurz • Young • Julian • Simeon • School of entrepreneurship

Certifications & Articulation Agreements: • W!SE Financial Literacy Certification

• NFTE Certification for Students

• Harold washington College

Finance AcademyStudents integrate current workplace skills into learning economic, banking, and ethics ideologies. They gain a broad overview of the global economy while exploring the relationship between labor and business. Students study the financial services industry and examine the services offered by companies in order to analyze how they earn profits. Students also examine the significance of ethics, and evaluate common ethical situations.

Schools with Finance Academy: • Corliss • Schurz • Julian • Simeon

Certifications & Articulation Agreements: • W!SE Financial Literacy Certification • NFTe Certifcation for Student

stUdent enterPrisesUnder the supervision of CTE teachers, students spend time after school and on weekends operating a business. The enterprises are school-based, student-run businesses open to CTE students within various clusters. The enterprises allow students to apply what they learn in class after school to their businesses, while making money and providing valuable products and services to their schools and communities. if you are interested in starting a student enterprise at your school, contact Kye-Anne Wilborn for instructions.

Prepare for college and careers now with CTE.Kye-Anne Wilborn, MBA, Business & Finance Program Coordinator773-553-2461 kwwilborn@cps.k12.il.us

interested? learn more at www.chooseyourfuture.org • 773-553-2108