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Guidance supporting Europe’s aspiring entrepreneurs
Policy and practice to harness future potential

CHAPTER 6
Conclusions

6.1. General context

There has been a considerable shift across Europe in relation to
entrepreneurship in recent years and there is clear evidence that education and
guidance have roles to play in supporting Europe’s future entrepreneurs.
Assisting individuals to think creatively and embrace innovation is essential to
developing the future workforce. Not everyone needs to become an
entrepreneur, yet all members of society need to be more entrepreneurial.
Getting people to face challenges and uncertainty in the world of work with
entrepreneurial spirit will provide the European economy with independent and
creative doers who can ‘think outside of the box’, respond to challenges and
adapt to change.
Most young people are interested in getting to know better who they actually
are; they tend to be open to self-exploration. Guidance presents an opportunity to
influence their attitudes towards entrepreneurship and to make young people
aware of the prospects and feasibility of becoming an entrepreneur. Guidance
has the potential to increase participation in entrepreneurial learning
opportunities and other activities aimed at stimulating the interest, skills and
confidence of young people to take forward a business idea. This should
increase the number of people who launch and grow new companies.
Entrepreneurial guidance and learning must be seen as a lifelong process of
developing individuals’ confidence, skills, attitudes and behaviours. This study
confirms the findings of previous research in that it is important to familiarise
children and young people with entrepreneurial attitudes and skills as early as
possible. Entrepreneurship should be integrated into the education system at
primary and secondary levels as well as in higher and adult and continuing
education. Guidance professionals and teachers operating in all learning contexts
need to be confident in dealing with entrepreneurialism to provide appropriate
information, advice and support.

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