Young technology entrepreneurship enhancement based on an alternative approach of project-based learning

Abstract

It has been noticed [1] that graduates, from a technology-oriented curriculum of studies, have developed the appropriate theoretical knowledge background and present the required hard skills. However, they lack of entrepreneurship skills and business minded orientation. Moreover, even if courses such as Management and Entrepreneurship are part of the curriculum, students view these subjects uninteresting due to a lack of practical component [1]. Young people need the opportunity to sharpen their skills so that they can quickly join the job market [2]. This paper describes an altered version of the Project Based Learning method (PBL), as a suggestion for developing entrepreneurship skill to students, based on their ideas and interests. The proposed method was used in two educational projects implemented by Applied Informatics in Business and Economy students. The assessment of hard and soft skills development was performed through written tests, interviews and 360 degrees feedback from the participants. The final results were very promising, depicting that 80% of the participants made it through the program successfully. Moreover, they felt confident enough for their knowledge and capable to start their own business. An interesting finding was that 40% of the students were already building a team to start developing their own product. They all believed that their entrepreneurial skills were developed. In addition to that, written tests showed that their hard skills have also been enhanced. Even though the economic environment of Greece is aggressive to entrepreneurship [3], a year after the projects were concluded, 20% of the participants were still trying to build their own business by developing their own product. It is the first time, to the best of the authors' knowledge, that technology and informatics are used as means to enhance entrepreneurship in Greece, starting from concept and ending to the actual promotion of an actual product (prototype). © 2017 IEEE.