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U-START – YOUth entrepreneurial skills: development, implementation and adaptation of Simulated Training enterprises tools and START-up business games for VET learners and operators
Start date: Sep 1, 2014, End date: Oct 31, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

The main strategic references of the EU suggest and address the structuring of initiatives to foster entrepreneurial mindsets through education, learning and the development of synergies between education, vocational training and the labour market. In some contexts, such as that of the upper secondary education, we are witnessing a formal take-over of these guidelines. In fact, the curriculum of the second cycle indicates as essential and transversal to all students, regardless of the type of school attended, the skills to promote and support creativity, innovation, risk-taking and, in general, the sense of initiative and entrepreneurship, and in line with these indications, the curriculum of the second cycle is committed to the implementation of actions of consequent connection with the business and labour market. The communication of the European Commission COM (2006) 33 final explicit and clear up that "Entrepreneurship refers to a person's ability to translate ideas into action, this will include creativity, innovation and risk-taking as well as the ability to plan and manage projects in order to achieve objectives. It is a useful skill for everyone in everyday life, in the domestic sphere and in society, workers (and students) to be aware of the context in which they operate" and in order to develop those personal qualities that support guidance in a complex system and that allow to take on the various roles of employee, of self-employed and/or of entrepreneur. Nevertheless as defined in many EC documents, the uptake and the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education in European vocational schools are still far from being satisfactory: - Entrepreneurship is not included in all parts of the VET system; - student participation is limited; - teaching methods are ineffective; - the practical element of entrepreneurship is missing and teachers are not fully competent. Under the priority selected, the project proposal is conceived in order to: - Exchange best practices at European level, in the field of entrepreneurship training, by means of business simulation and business gaming - Promote the geographical transfer of the Simulated Practice Enterprise model, as a training methodology useful for the development of entrepreneurship competencies in VET institutions and VET students; - Promote the development, transfer and implementation of business games to be linked to the ICT tools and Simulators available in the different partners Countries for the application of Simulated Practice Enterprises. Specifically, to develop business games linked to the market and competitors analysis, business planning and start-up. - Promote the acquisition of competences which will enable VET professionals to improve their teaching in an important key competence, such as the one related to Entrepreneurship, set out in the 2006 Recommendation on key competences for Lifelong learning. The objectives of the project are: - build a strategic partnership for the exchange of good practices in the field of education for entrepreneurial skills in secondary schools, with a specific focus on the experiences of simulation, businesses simulated training, practice firms, etc ...; - combine the methodology of the business game with the ICT tools available for the development of Simulated Training Enterprises (IFSCONFAO simulator), and developing a business game specifically for the start-up phase, which can significantly enhances the usability of the training pathway related to the simulated training enterprise approach, both for students and for teachers; - encourage a greater involvement of the business and labour market, involving institutions, associations, etc ... in the development of guidelines for enterprise/companies able to attract, motivate and facilitate the involvement of companies in the simulation process, clarifying and specifying the crucial role of tutoring/mentoring in the business-training of IFSCONFAO; - transfer, adapt and implement templates, tools, technologies and methods of simulation and business game for the development of entrepreneurial skills in the upper secondary education, in the partners countries; - promote the aspects of the internationalization of business and enterprises, promoting the development of transactions in the virtual market between the companies created in the context of the transnational partnership The project partnership is composed of qualified networks representative of the national VET systems in Italy represented by CONFAO (applicant), in Spain by IFI in Portugal by CECOA; by major development agencies and local entrepreneurship support and connection with the production systems and business activities (SFCOnfindustria in Italy, Germany and Kompass CPU Slovenia) and by advanced ICT Companies (The Business game and Isform)
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