Towards an entrepreneurial mentality

Education in entrepreneurship has always formed part of the working plan published every year by Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and the Self Employed Edwin Vassallo.

This year a lot of work, particularly in co-ordination with the Ministry for Education, Youth and Employment, has been done to achieve these objectives. An incentive being offered by the two ministries is the organisation of entrepreneurship courses.

These courses are intended primarily for the self-employed and owners of small businesses. However, they are also open to all those who would like to attend. The courses are being organised by the Secretariat for Small Business and the Self Employed, in collaboration with the Education Division, Further Studies and Adult Education

Mr Vassallo said the Lisbon Agenda was currently being discussed in Parliament. One of the priorities of this Agenda is access to education for all, including those who are already working in any commercial activity. The same Agenda lays down that the EU member states should ensure that there is education in entrepreneurship.

"We are therefore giving all persons involved in business the opportunity to learn entrepreneurial skills which can then be applied to their own business," Mr Vassallo said.

The courses will commence tomorrow and will be held in three localities, on different days of the week, over a period of five weeks, to accommodate as many people as possible (between 2 and 4 p.m. to accommodate persons working in retail).

The courses, which are being held on Mondays and Wednesdays in Sliema and Paola, and Tuesdays and Thursdays in Mosta, are being offered free of charge. The modules which will be taught are:

1. The entrepreneur: introduction and role of enterprise in community development, ethics and fair trade;

2. Developing a business enterprise;

3. The elements which make up a business;

4. Human resources in business;

5. Financial resources in business. Banking your business;

6. IT, empowering your business to grow;

7. Knowledge and skills development;

8. Marketing and promoting your business;

9. Taking care of your customers; and

10. Creativity, invention and innovating your business.

Government has taken this initiative as a further incentive for the development of an entrepreneurial mentality. There is increased competition in today's commercial sector and this needs the right mentality.

There are people who still believe that it takes no special skills to be entrepreneurial or to run a business. This attitude needs to be changed.

Mr Vassallo therefore encourages all those who can attend these courses to do so. Those who cannot should send their salespersons so these may be in a position to understand better commercial activities.