A lot of young people have difficulties to orient themselves in career terms. Two reasons need to be mentioned in order to explain the situation of these young people. On the one hand, we have to take into consideration their lack of knowledge about specific job requirements and possibilities of developing as well as the ambiguity regarding their skills and potential on the other hand. The offers regarding occupational orientation made by schools and labor administration are helpful, but they only focus on working on employed terms. The perspective of entrepreneurial self-employment is rarely considered. This means there is one option less of personal and occupational development. Existing potential remains unutilized.

To show pupils their entrepreneurial talents, appropriate methods are needed. Assistance-Assessment-Centers are one helpful and established approach to show pupils their individual assets and to work specifically on their weaknesses. Therefore they are increasingly used in the context of occupational orientation and this is also where this project funded by the Joachim Herz Stiftung kicks in.

Pupils in the secondary school system are supported taking over responsibility for their personal and professional career. During an Entrepreneurship Summer School they gain the opportunity to determine and foster their potential regarding entrepreneurial thinking and acting. By means of an analysis of potential, available skills and dispositions are identified to put targeted measures of individual encouragement directly in action. Therefore the profile check for entrepreneurial talent has a set of approved methods which focusses on the cognitive dimension and simultaneously includes the disposition to take over an entrepreneurial persona. This analysis of entrepreneurial potential benefits all pupils, also those who decide not to take the step towards self-employment because in today’s working life, the ability and willingness for entrepreneurial thinking and acting is a common requirement for employees as well.

On May 22nd, 2017, this project received the promotion prize of the WGZ BANK foundation »Erfolgreich durch Wissen – Chancen ergreifen« for being an important contribution to the improvement of entrepreneurship education.

- Kick-starter Manual
 

- 5.5 Knowledge test_Levels and feedback modules
- 5.6 Knowledge test_Feedback sheet
- 5.7 Profile check_Manifestations and feedback modules
- 5.8 Profile check_Feedback sheet

- 6.1 Allocation plan 18 Kick-starters
- 6.2 Allocation plan 12 Kick-starters
- 6.3 Evaluation table

Project management: Prof. Dr. Thomas Retzmann (University of Duisburg-Essen)

Project staff: M. Ed. Karin Krzatala, Viona Hausmann, Berna Alsan (all University of Duisburg-Essen)

Project funding: Joachim Herz Foundation, Hamburg

Project aim: Development, realization and evaluation of an analysis of potential for assessing pupils entrepreneurial competences and potentials as the fundament of individual advancement

Project period: October 2012 until May 2015