Page 18 - guidance-supporting-europe-s-aspiring-entrepreneurs-policy-and-practice-to-harness-future-potential

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

However, while there is widespread recognition of the importance of guidance in
supporting lifelong learning, European policies rarely refer to the role of guidance
in entrepreneurship learning or the development of entrepreneurs’ career
management skills.
Entrepreneurship learning, supported by guidance, has a role to play in
developing entrepreneurial skills; exposure to such support can act as a catalyst
to developing an entrepreneurial mindset, irrespective of whether individuals go
on to become entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship education exists within Europe,
though is not necessarily available for all: it is ad hoc and comprises ‘pockets of
excellence’ accessible by some, with no provision or support for others.
The numbers of new business start-ups in Europe has grown over the past
10-years: there are around 1.7 million more enterprises in 2009 than in 1999 (up
from 28.9 million in 1999 to 30.6 million in 2009). While people become
entrepreneurs through choice or necessity, the recent financial crisis has acted
as a catalyst for people setting up businesses out of necessity. Fear of failure
acts as a barrier to business start-up as does a perceived lack of opportunity:
less than half of Europeans believe that they have the skills to become an
entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs in Europe are a diverse group, though a ‘typical’ entrepreneur
is male and educated to upper secondary education level. Just over a quarter of
entrepreneurs have a basic level of education, while a growing proportion is
educated at degree level (up seven percentage points from 21% in 1999 to 28%
in 2009 according to LFS data). On average, less than a third of entrepreneurs
are female (30%).

The role of guidance in Initial Vocational Education and

Training

Entrepreneurship learning is important in IVET as self-employment is a realistic
aspiration for students: many VET students often establish their own businesses.
Entrepreneurship features in the national curricula for VET, to some extent, in
most European countries. Learning opportunities for VET students are delivered
in formal and non-formal settings and include simulations, competitions and mini-
enterprises. A key challenge for teachers and trainers is to ensure that they have
the skills to understand and teach entrepreneurship as well as to promote it as a
real, and realistic, career option for those interested. Ideally all young people in
VET should become exposed to entrepreneurial activities during their studies,
supported by professional guidance.

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