Case study: Developing TVET staff’s competencies in interactive, ICT-driven entrepreneurship training in Romania

Since 2008, TVET teachers in Romania have received training to enable them to implement an interactive, interdisciplinary, student-centred method for delivering entrepreneurship education – the ‘training firm’ – in which teachers act as coaches, facilitators and moderators assisting learners to set up virtual companies. The training firm is an innovative, practically-oriented teaching method that was developed in Austria. Using an online platform – which provides information relevant to companies and simulates processes in the business environment, such as the activities of chambers, banks and regulatory authorities – students set goals, plan activities and independently manage their enterprise, coached and accompanied by their teacher. The training firm experience develops learners’ critical thinking, problem-solving and ICT skills. It also improves their practical skills and ability to apply knowledge, thus reducing the period of adjustment to future employment, as well as increases their understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to running a business. It thereby builds their resilience and responsiveness to changes taking place in the world of work.

The training that TVET teachers receive to facilitate this process includes:

• Training to build their competencies in interactive teaching and learning methods, and in developing teaching and learning materials for entrepreneurship education
• Capacity-building to improve their knowledge of and ability to apply tools for quality assurance of the teaching-learning-evaluation process
• Training on how to develop learners’ entrepreneurial mindsets and ability to target opportunities and take risks
• Opportunities to practice teaching strategies and exchange good practices with experts from other European countries

Teacher training is often carried out in conjunction with domestic private sector firms (e.g., SC Magnum SRL) and transnational partners (e.g., Kultur Kontakt Austria). Since 2010, multipliers have been trained to increase the number of teachers receiving this training.