Abstract:

Researches have discussed if it is possible to teach and learn entrepreneurship. It includes so many dimensions, e.g. environmental factors, personal relations in potential and established entrepreneurs and their network, development of ones entrepreneurial behaviour and personality and the learning process itself. Entrepreneurship development goes along with increased enterprising spirit and entrepreneur skills, which leads to a big number of start-ups and their sustainability. The present article focuses on the entrepreneurial skills and the role of the coaches and mentors in the education process in pilot project “Entrepreneurship Home for Young People”. Our descriptive research will include backgrounds of Estonian Entrepreneurship Policy and Entrepreneurship Home, Estonian case: entrepreneurial skills education process and the ways of supporting in Entrepreneurship Home and conclusion.

Estonian Entrepreneurship Policy for 20072013 is a document, which has set objectives like: strong entrepreneurship culture, enterprising and entrepreneurship-friendly legislation, SME’s access to capital, growth and successful international activities. Achievement of the goals requires increase of entrepreneurship awareness and competence. Entrepreneurial education is also supported by the documents like: Green Paper on Entrepreneurship 2003; Enterprising Estonia 2002.

Entrepreneurship education is developed also at universities. University of Tartu has declared itself entrepreneurial scientific university. The relevant literature refers to the importance of the three subject symbiosis – creator, enterpriser and investor. Tartu University Centre for Entrepreneurship is a link between enterprising university and business sector and has started a pilot project Entrepreneurship Home for Young People, which main objective to create interest in entrepreneurship through entrepreneurship training and practice. The theoretical background of the method uses aspects of theories: Constructive Learning, Humanistic Learning and Co-operative Learning and applies them to its own learning environment, where one goal is to help students grow into entrepreneurs and professionals of marketing. The learning process of the pilot project contains mainly of two methods: Learning by doing and Dialogue.

A coach leads and controls the realization of the learning goals and is a modern leader whose status is not based on power and authority. As one’s business idea is becoming clearer and getting more focus, the need for personal support increases. A team of mentors that consists of experienced entrepreneurs offer their own experience bank. The role of mentors is to support new entrepreneurs and help them to avoid the pitfalls typical of the early stages, as well as to give practical instructions.

There is no national wealth without entrepreneurs; therefore development of entrepreneurial activity is one of the priorities of all governments.

Keywords:

? entrepreneurial skills education process and methods, learning by doing, supporting.