Who possesses entrepreneurship skills?

While a diverse group, entrepreneurs typically tend to be male, aged 40-55, educated to tertiary level and see the idea of becoming self-employed as feasible14. Eurostat data for 2013 indicates that less than one third (31%) of self-employed people in the EU were female. However, country level trends differ significantly. In Latvia, Luxembourg, Lithuania and Poland, at least 39% of self-employed people were female. In Malta, Ireland and Romania less than one quarter of the self-employed were female15. Some commentators see these differences as resulting from gender-specific barriers that limit the preference to becoming self-employed rather than obstacles to starting a business per se (for example, capital, business idea, skills and risk). Having a business idea and access to finance are the most important factors when deciding to start a business (more than four out of five people see these as important), but so are having an appropriate business partner and role model (more than 60%).

Developing entrepreneurship skills

Almost twice as many people who regard self-employment as a feasible prospect in the next five years had followed an entrepreneurship course (34% compared to 18%). However, less than half of EU citizens feel that their school education helped them to better-understand the role of entrepreneurs in society (47%) or gave them the skills and know-how to enable them to run a business (41%). Only 28% of Eurobarometer respondents agreed that their school education made them interested in becoming an entrepreneur; although this figure ranged from 65% in Portugal to 17% in Germany and the United Kingdom.

Engendering entrepreneurship skills involves developing:

· Specific, technical business-running skills e.g. developing and implementing a business plan, accounting, budgeting;

· Transversal or strategic skills associated with entrepreneurship: an ability to take decisions based on balanced risk assessment and information analysis; recognising and implementing opportunities for business growth; following market developments and managing the products and services offer.

The European Commission recognises entrepreneurship as a key competence for life and the ‘Rethinking Education’20 communication states that all young people should benefit from entrepreneurship education, including ‘at least one practical entrepreneurial experience before leaving compulsory education’. Entrepreneurship is a key element of the Europe 2020 strategy. Consequently, Member States have been invited to encourage the development of a coordinated approach to entrepreneurship education throughout the education and training system.

A number of countries have developed entrepreneurship education strategies and there is an emerging body of knowledge about good and effective practice in learning and teaching. Ministries, institutions and inspirational teachers are working to integrate learning and the acquisition of transversal entrepreneurship skills, knowledge and behaviours; not just into ‘entrepreneurship’ courses but across the curriculum, into the classroom and across schools, colleges and universities.

Research has identified scope for further development in the education sector – in relation to understanding entrepreneurship, pedagogy and working methods and the assessment of outcomes. The European Commission is constantly working together with experts, teachers and the educators of teachers to identify good practice and enable its wider dissemination.