Entrepreneurship refers to an
personal or individuals ability to change or turn ideas into action or
practice. Entrepreneurial programmes and modules offer students the tool to
think creatively (ie invocation) it has to do with the ability to uses their
initiatives in establishing new things our of the existing once or to modernize the existing once.
Educational for entrepreneurship can be particularly effective in initial
vocational training, as students are close to entering work life and
self-employment may be a valuable
option for them. Vocational
education training takes a variety of farm in different countries, but also
within a country.
Entrepreneurship is included in the national curricula for vocational educational in a majority of European generally well established, particularly in countries where a “dual system” is in place, it can be however difficult to ensure the participation of small and micro enterprises.
Regardless of
the vocational training are of the most effective way to teach,
entrepreneurships to have students participate in practical projects and
activities, in which learning by doing a emphasized and real experience with
entrepreneurship is gained problem driven and experience –oriented education is
essential to fostering entrepreneurial mindsets and abilities. The most
commonly use teaching methods are lectures, computer simulations and business
games, student companies, project work and group work company visits and work
placements. Although a wide range of pedagogical tools are in place there seems
to be in general a gap however between the teaching methods considered being
most effective and those that are currently used.
One explanation
may be that not all teachers choose to or are able to use active teaching
methods. Another problem is linked to the lack of an interdisciplinary way of
working on concrete projects. The current situation is that most teachers have
not be trained in entrepreneurship consequently, they may be unaware of the
right approach to entrepreneurship teaching initial and further teacher
training of the highest importance, but entrepreneurship education is not yet
included systematically in training programmes for educators. In many cases, on
the job training is provided by external organizations.
The most effective way to ensure that teacher competence in this field is adequate and up-to-date would be to make entrepreneurship a mandatory part of teacher education it is also important to offer further education to those teachers who have already competed their initial or educational. For public authorities, the first step for a cohe-approach would be to set up a steering or coordinating committee for entrepreneurship education at a nation or regional level, with representative from both the ministry of education and the ministry of economy and with the participation of other relevant departments and organization (including business associations and NGOs).
The most effective way to ensure that teacher competence in this field is adequate and up-to-date would be to make entrepreneurship a mandatory part of teacher education it is also important to offer further education to those teachers who have already competed their initial or educational. For public authorities, the first step for a cohe-approach would be to set up a steering or coordinating committee for entrepreneurship education at a nation or regional level, with representative from both the ministry of education and the ministry of economy and with the participation of other relevant departments and organization (including business associations and NGOs).
As a following step, introducing
entrepreneurship as an explicit goal in the curriculum will be a clear signal
that important for every student moreover, it will make it easier for teachers
to spend teaching hour on the subject. A
general trend can now be observed in the shift of national curricula from
contents to competences. This process should continue strengthening competence
based teaching and learning makes it easier for entrepreneurship to be included
in school programmes.
Among other recommended measures for public authorities are the following:
Among other recommended measures for public authorities are the following:
- -Make career exploration mandatory, and include entrepreneurship in vocational guidance;
- Provide counseling for schools and teachers in designing vocational education training curricula, and disseminate successful experiences and practices between vocational education training schools;
- Support those non-profit organizational and NGOs whose mission is promoting and delivering entrepreneurship education, and which act as intermediaries between vocational schools and businesses.
- Extend entrepreneurship to all fields of study in vocational education: link practical training in specific fields of study with objective of entrepreneurship, and provide support for student’s interest in starting up a business.
- Make use of methods based on real experience (project work with real enterprises or with the local community, student mini-companies etc.
- Ensure access to experts (from business, business associations, and NGOs ) who can provide training and ongoing support
Finally also actors have an
important role to play:
- Business associations should promote partnership between vocational education training schools and enterprises and motivate more business people to get involved in entrepreneurship education
- The European commission has a role in contributing to the exchange of good practices experiences and methods, in raising awareness and in monitoring and benchmarking the process in EU member states.
In addition
vocational education and training (ie vocational programmes differ from
academic ones in their curriculum and in their aim of generally preparing
students for specific types of occupations and in some cases, for direct entry
into the labour market.
Entrepreneurial
programmes and modules offer students the tools to think creatively, to be an
effective problem solver, to analyze a business idea objectively, and to
communicate network, lead, and evaluate
any given project. Student fell more confident about setting up their own
businesses if they can lest their ideas in an educational, supportive
environment. However, the benefits of entrepreneurship education are not
limited to boosting start-ups, innovative ventures and new jobs. Entrepreneurship is a competence for
everyone, helping g young people to be more creative and self –confident I
whatever they undertake.
The
recommendation of the European parliament and the council of 18 December 2006
on key competences for lifelong learning / identifies the sense of initiative
and entrepreneurship’ as one of eight key competencies to be instilled at all
stages of education and training.
Joint
analysis by the commission and national authorities shows that although
numerous initiatives on entrepreneurship education are under way at all levels
across the EU, most of them are neither integrated into the curriculum nor form
part of a coherent framework, and that as a result most students cannot yet
take part in entrepreneurship courses and
programmes.
Education for
entrepreneurship can be particularly effective in initial vocational training,
as students are close to learning working life and self employment may be a
valuable option for them. However, a real focus on entrepreneurship is missing
in most cases, since the main task is seen as being to produce skilled workers.