Adding Value to Society: The EntreComp Certificate – promoting a new type of entrepreneur

Entrepreneurship – isn’t that to do with business? Yawn

For me, a history graduate and teacher, entrepreneurship has always seemed like something for others. I’m not that bothered about generating profit, although of course I appreciate that our world absolutely needs those sorts of people, and I’d rather not have to worry about striving endlessly for more. Nevertheless, I have pursued a varied and diverse vocational career which has required continual innovation, and I am pro-active in my local community. This actually makes me an entrepreneur. The EntreComp Certificate recognises entrepreneurship in all its guises, from the traditional business enterprises to the socially aware active citizen and all its overlapping intricacies in between.

The EntreComp Certificate is an international careers-based award which aims to foster and recognise young people’s entrepreneurial spirit in the widest sense of the word. It seeks to develop young people into active citizens who engage with the world and add value to society. It promotes business, social and public entrepreneurship through helping young people to learn about and experience up to fifteen entrepreneurial competencies, empowering them to become successful, active, globally aware and responsible citizens.

The EntreComp competencies are shown here in the EntreComp Framework.

The EntreComp Certificate assesses young people in the fifteen entrepreneurial competencies. Young people first learn about each of the competencies, then they experience the competencies through participating in relevant activities, and finally they reflect on how they added value to society through the competencies. Young people can choose from an almost inexhaustible list of activities in which to participate, and the Certificate will demonstrate not only that they are skilled in the fifteen entrepreneurial competencies, but also that they have shown commitment, partaken in some work experience, challenged themselves and become active citizens.

The certificate is being developed by a consortium of European partners as a legacy Erasmus+ project. Lancaster Royal Grammar School students, who have helped to create the learning resources for the certificate and are currently engaged in trialling it, have embraced the opportunity to be active citizens and add value to society, fulfilling the LRGS motto ‘Lead in order to serve’. This is how one of our students is participating in the award:

Some examples of activities to prove entrepreneurial competencies

National Citizenship Service, Duke of Edinburgh Award, Cadet forces, Future Learn courses, volunteering, fundraising, environmental action, First Aid course, Park Run, sport, music, drama, business start-ups, Prince’s Trust courses, Young Enterprise, language exchanges, work experience, school trips, university/apprenticeship/job applications, part-time job, local initiatives, local action groups, mentoring others, university taster days, overseas challenges, outward bound courses, national competitions, school leadership . . .

The ultimate aim of the Certificate is to create a generation of young people who recognise that modern entrepreneurship spans and links the business, public and social spheres.

The EntreComp Certificate: Adding Value to Society.