1. National Institute for Education – The Evaluation Report of
CENTRES Pilot Activity in the Czech Republic
1. Context
Based on the Recommendation of the European Parliament and Council on key
competences for lifelong learning1
(2006), the Strategy for Lifelong Learning in the Czech
Republic2
(2007) aims at the development of functional literacy and key competences such
as financial literacy. Entrepreneurship is not, however, explicitly mentioned. This strategy
was followed by the Strategy for Lifelong Learning Implementation Plan3
, approved in 2009,
which supports curriculum reform with an emphasis on increasing the functional literacy of
students and the development of key competences. This can, for example, be done by the
implementation of larger student projects, such as the setting up of training firms. National
Institute of Education, a body of Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, recognises the
importance of entrepreneurship education. It is hosting the National Centre of training firms
(also called practise or fictive firms), which is providing the methodological support for
schools decided to implement the programme. However, entrepreneurship education for all
categories of education is quite new concept in educational policy of the Czech Republic, so
the National Strategy of Entrepreneurship Education in the Czech Republic is still missing.
Being the Department of Career Guidance, we understand creativity and entrepreneurship in
a broader social context as a set of important skills for the successful transition to the labour
market and as important career management skills.
2. Approach
With this in mind, the pilot activity in the Czech Republic was focused on the e-learning
training for career counsellors and teachers in schools. The e-learning programme aimed to
introduce the entrepreneurship education with emphasis on career management, a new
approach of career guidance in the Czech Republic.
3. Rationale
As the Department of Career Guidance provides the methodological support for all career
counsellors in schools in the Czech Republic, it has wide experiences with e-learning
education of the career counsellors (distance learning is in some cases the only way to
reach counsellors from all regions of the Czech Republic). Besides, the counsellors who
went thought previous e-learning programmes gave us the feedback, that they lacked
information about entrepreneurship in terms of career guidance. Therefore, we decided to
1
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:394:0010:0018:en:PDF
2
http://www.msmt.cz/uploads/Zalezitosti_EU/strategie_2007_EN_web_jednostrany.pdf
3
Available only in Czech language: http://www.msmt.cz/vzdelavani/dalsi-vzdelavani/strategie-
celozivotniho-uceni-cr
CENTRES
www.centres-eu.org
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union

2. participate in CENTRES project and design the e-learning programme with emphasis on
entrepreneurship and creativity as part of career management skills (CMS). CMS
encompass all the competencies needed to manage one’s own career: entrepreneurship,
sense of initiative and creativity, self-management, opportunity awareness, flexibility,
endurance, optimism, ability to take risks, teamwork and openness to learning.
4. Pilot Description
The pilot activity in the Czech Republic was divided into several parts:
1. The recruiting part of the pilot activity was realised by phone and e-mail. Out of 35
contacted schools from Central Bohemian region, 13 confirmed participation in the
meeting of focus group. We also contacted 68 employers and entrepreneurs from
Central Bohemian region and Prague, 10 of them confirmed participation in meeting
of focus group.
2. Focus group meeting (4th
December 2012): this meeting was meant to be a basis
for designing the e-learning programme: 12 representatives of 11 vocational schools
and 7 representatives of employers and entrepreneurs form Central Bohemian region
were discussing specific requirements of employers on absolvents (theoretical
knowledge, practical skills, creativity and entrepreneurship) and need of the teachers
and counsellors (preparing the absolvents) and their possible incorporation into the
educational programme for career mentors and implementation into practice.
3. E-learning programme – was designed based on the results of the focus group
meeting. 10 career counsellors from Central Bohemian region successfully
completed the study of the programme in August 2013. The programme was divided
into 3 modules:
a) Introduction to creativity and entrepreneurship education - aims to introduce career
counsellors and teachers to the field of creative education and creative industries and
to present the latest trends and projects dealing with these topics.
b) Career guidance in schools as a creative process - represents an added dimension
to career guidance in primary and secondary schools. It is a process that can
significantly affect the attitudes of students towards acquiring useful skills for life with
the aim to encourage guidance practitioners to think about how to develop and
improve career education and turn their school into an innovative institution.
c) Practice firm - the practice firm is a subject bringing vocational element into an
increasing number of non-economic school programmes in the Czech Republic as
well as other European countries. The module was designed for upper secondary
school teachers who want to help students prepare for real life.
4. Mentoring in schools – all 10 teachers were invited to incorporate the contents and
methodologies gained through studying the e-learning programme into their teaching
methods. The core structure of the mentoring sessions in schools was the same for
all 10 school:

3. Introductory Session – presentation of the programme, baseline survey for students,
introduction to creative entrepreneurship, discussions.
The Visit of a Real Entrepreneur – every school had to invite at least one
entrepreneur from creative sector or related to their education programme to present
his / her experiences with entrepreneurship, to discuss with the students and to
inspire them.
Start Right Now! – the students shared their ideas, visions and learned about the
possibilities of starting right now – information and contacts to grant agencies, youth
programmes supporting entrepreneurship among young people.
Fictive firm – presentation of the programme Fictive firm. Brainstorming on the
content, subject, plan of their own fictive firm.
Final Session – summary of the project, evaluation, end point survey for students.
The schools directly involved in the pilot activity were:
SOŠ a SOU Beroun – Hlinky: a large upper secondary vocational school in Beroun (town in
Central Bohemian region, 19,000 inhabitants). Only 10 % of students have a statement of
special educational needs. The study programmes offered by this school:
Secondary technical education, 4 – year study programmes (finished by the “maturity
exam”): Operation and Economics of Transport, Building construction, Tourism, Business.
Secondary vocational education, 3- year study programmes (finishes by the apprenticeship
exam): Motor mechanic, Electrician, Pastry cook, Joiner, Plumber, Cook, Salesman, Window
dresser.
SOŠ a SOU Dubno: an upper secondary vocational school in Příbram (town in Central
Bohemian region, 34,000 inhabitants). The school has a very good partnerships with the
local employers. The study programmes offered by this school:
Secondary technical education, 4 – year study programmes: Industrial electronics and
security systems, Fire-fighting equipment and prevention.
Secondary vocational education, 3- year study programmes: Motor mechanic, Electrician,
Plumber, Locksmith.
SOŠ a SOU U Hvězdy: an upper secondary vocational school in Kladno (the biggest town of
Central Bohemian region, around 70,000 inhabitants). The study programmes offered by this
school:
Secondary technical education, 4 – year study programmes: Fashion design, Textile
industry, Furniture and wood production.
Secondary vocational education, 3- year study programmes: Cook, Pastry cook, Carpenter,
Joiner, Tailor, Mason.
SOŠ a SOU Nymburk: a large upper secondary vocational school in Nymburk (town in
Central Bohemian region, 15,000 inhabitants). The study programmes offered by this school:
Secondary technical education, 4 – year study programmes: Engineering, Electrical
engineering, Economics and Business.
Secondary vocational education, 3- year study programmes: Motor mechanic, Mechanic,
Plumber, Electrician, Painter, Pastry cook, Cook, Mason, Glassblower.

4. SŠ oděvního a grafického designu: an upper secondary school in Lysá nad Labem (a
small town in central Bohemian region with app. 9,000 inhabitants) has a long 120-year-old
tradition. In these days the school is focused on art and creative study programmes, such as
Fashion Design, Graphic Design and Interior Design.
SOŠ Český Brod – Liblice: a small upper secondary school located in the countryside of a
small Central Bohemian town Český Brod (app. 7,000 inhabitants). The school offers only
two 4 – year study programmes of secondary technical education: Economics and Business
and IT.
SOŠ a SOU stavební: with the capacity of 708 students, the school is one of the largest in
the region. This upper secondary vocational school is located in the city of Kolín, which has
35,000 inhabitants. The study programmes offered by this school:
Secondary technical education, 4 – year study programmes: Building construction, Technical
lyceum, Plumber and Electrician.
Secondary vocational education, 3- year study programmes: Electrician, Plumber, Painter
and Decorator, Carpenters, Plumber, Joiner, Mason.
OŠ podnikatelská Kolín: a small upper secondary school in Kolín. The school offers only 4-
year study programmes of secondary technical education: Economics and Business,
Packaging technology - Computer graphics, ICT - applications of PC, Reproductive graphics
for media, Applied Photography and Media, Fire protection and Business.
SOŠ a SOU Hořovice: an upper secondary vocational school located in Hořovice (a small
town in Central Bohemian region with only 7,000 inhabitants). The study programmes
offered by this school:
Secondary technical education, 4 – year study programmes: IT, Economics and Business,
Engineering, Ecology and Environment.
Secondary vocational education, 3- year study programmes: Toolmaker, Mechanic.
SZeŠ a SOŠ Poděbrady, p. o.: an upper secondary school focused on agriculture is located
in Poděbrady (a spa town with 14,000 inhabitants). The study programmes offered by this
school:
Secondary technical education, 4 – year study programmes: Agribusiness, Public
administration, Scientific lyceum, Food technology, Veterinary.
Summary of Beneficiaries Data
School Student
s
Teacher
s
Indirect
beneficiaries
SOŠ a SOU Beroun – Hlinky 17 1 18
SOŠ a SOU Dubno 18 2 16
SOŠ a SOU U Hvězdy 14 1 15
SOŠ a SOU Nymburk 11 3 11
SŠ oděvního a grafického
designu
50 1 51
SOŠ Český Brod – Liblice 23 1 43

5. SOŠ a SOU stavební 22 2 125
OŠ podnikatelská Kolín 12 1 13
SOŠ a SOU Hořovice 13 1 14
SZeŠ a SOŠ Poděbrady, p. o. 15 1 25
Together 195 14 331
5. Impact & Legacy
IMPACT
According to the evaluation data gathered in 10 participating schools, the pilot activity
increased the knowledge and understanding of creative entrepreneurship and creative
career guidance not only from the students’ point of view. The e-learning part of the pilot
activity was very beneficial also for the teachers. As the students claimed in the endpoint
surveys, they also improved some of their entrepreneurial skills: creative thinking,
presentation skills, team working, planning, “sticking to schedule” and problem solving.
The most problematic and the most interesting part at the same time seemed to be the
session with the real entrepreneur. According to the teachers’ comments, it was very
challenging to persuade entrepreneurs to come and share their experiences. Nevertheless,
they all managed to organise this meeting, and were very surprised with the positive effect of
this session on the students. So, as they said, “it was worth the effort” and they will definitely
continue with that kind of activities.
Impact: highlights by school
SOŠ a SOU Beroun – Hlinky
Students realized that their current skills were fairly superficial and that they would need
courage, confidence and flexibility, perseverance and hard work to come a successful
entrepreneur.
The teacher claimed that she learned how to better collaborate with students. The project,
according to her opinion, perceived as a diversification of teaching methods and contributed
as a mediated view from the practice, which is still missing in the schools.
SOŠ a SOU Dubno
The pilot activity was quite challenging for this group of students, as these were the only
students (in comparison with other participating schools) of apprenticeship type of vocational
education (the 3-year study programme). The project activities seemed to be difficult for
these students, because of high requirements on involvement and team work. The only skill
the students claimed they had improved during the pilot activity were the communication
skills.
The teacher found it very difficult to motivate students to involve more into project activities.
Despite the difficulties, the teacher decided to continue with entrepreneurship education,
especially with the implementing of the programme Practise firm, because she sees the
potential in that kind of learning methods.

6. SOŠ a SOU U Hvězdy
The students gained a better understanding of the creative entrepreneurship, they realised
that entrepreneurship is also about responsibility, hard work and planning. In the baseline
survey they didn’t think the school was teaching them entrepreneurial skills at all. Therefore,
they appreciated the project activities very much, because afterwards they felt much more
confident regarding their entrepreneurial skills and they gained very concrete information,
e.g. were the can find the support for their projects if they would like to start right now.
The teacher also was positively surprised how motivated the students were after completing
the pilot activity. The students also started to think about entrepreneurship in terms of active
citizenship.
SOŠ a SOU Nymburk
In the beginning of pilot activity students didn’t recognise the importance of creativity and
innovation in entrepreneurship. Based on the information, their understanding of
entrepreneurship as a creative process and an attitude of life has broaden. The students
thought they improved their creative thinking thanks to the project, even though they haven’t
used it in other subjects yet.
The teacher agreed with the students that their entrepreneurial skills had improved. She
liked that the project brought new information and a new perspective on business. She
thinks that the students acquired new knowledge of entrepreneurship, improved their
teamwork and mutual communication.
Střední škola oděvního a grafického designu
The school of fashion and graphic design focuses also on creativity and innovation learning.
The students did have some basic information about entrepreneurship. They benefited from
the project mainly the concrete guidelines how to start their business projects right now. Two
of them also received a grant from O2 Think Big programme to renovate the interior of the
Youth Home in Lysá nad Labem.
The teacher was pleasantly surprised by the students’ attitude to realisation of the project
activities. She definitely wants get on with cooperation with creative entrepreneurs to
achieve better understanding of creative entrepreneurship among all their students.
SOŠ Český Brod – Liblice
The students of the schools were relatively active and entrepreneurial in the community life
even before the pilot activity (they have been leading a project aimed on development of
active citizenship and community life in Český Brod – they often communicate with the
mayor, deputy mayor and the representatives of Youth Information Centre). That’s why the
students evaluated their entrepreneurial skills as ‘good’ even in the baseline survey.
Anyway, the students stated that the project had developed their creativity and organisation
skills.
The teacher was very surprised to see that even students that hadn’t seemed as active and
creative before started to act more creatively and they were more involved in the ongoing
activities.

7. SOŠ a SOU stavební
The understanding of entrepreneurship among the students was on very basic level in the
beginning of the pilot activity. The students saw entrepreneurs as very rich businessmen
whose main goal is to gain profit and manipulate with people. Entrepreneurship as a concept
doesn’t really have a good reputation in media and society as a whole.
Students now understand the hard work, skills and attitude hidden behind the success. They
have improved communication skills, teamwork, and tolerance for others’ opinions.
OŠ podnikatelská Kolín
Given the focus of school (business academy), students had a fairly good basic knowledge
of the entrepreneurship even in the beginning of the pilot activity. At the end of the pilot
activity the students themselves realised that they improved teamwork, communication skills,
they also worked on the “harder” skills, such as budgeting and planning. The learned how
important it is to have a goal and meet deadlines as well. They have already used the new
skills in other subjects: in economics, marketing and management.
SOŠ a SOU Hořovice
In comparison with other participating schools, the students of this school had a
considerable understanding of entrepreneurship already in the beginning of the pilot activity.
At the same time, they also did have the feeling that the schools is teaching them the
entrepreneurial skills. However, in the end of the pilot activity they stated that they learned
the following skills thanks to the project: among the “harder” entrepreneurial skills such as
planning, budgeting, marketing, also some soft skills such as presentation skills, solving the
problems creatively, and listening and respecting also the unconventional and controversial
opinions of their schoolmates.
SZeŠ a SOŠ Poděbrady, p. o.
Students now have better understanding of what entrepreneurship means. They had
previously focused more on the “business” side of entrepreneurship and didn’t realised
which skills were needed to become a successful entrepreneur.
The students especially liked the session with real entrepreneur as she was of their own age
(a student form their school). They found her story and experiences very inspirational. They
also liked that the project activity gave them opportunity to think about how their hobbies and
passions could become their occupation.
LEGACY AND SUSTAINABILITY
The structure of the pilot activity was meant to provide the project legacy by training the
multiplicators of the philosophy of entrepreneurship education with special emphasis on
creativity so they can reach the target audience even after the project ends by applying new
teaching methods and new approach of career education.
Every participating school claimed that they will continue especially with the cooperation with
external entrepreneurs as they found it really important for the students to have as many
contacts with the real world of work as possible. They were generally very pleasantly

8. surprised how motivated and involved the students were during the discussions with the
entrepreneurs.
SOŠ a SOU Dubno, SOŠ a SOU U Hvězdy, SOŠ a SOU Hořovice a SZeŠ a SOŠ
Poděbrady, p. o. incorporated the program Fictive firm into their school plans.
6. Quality
According to the information from evaluation forms, the pilot activity can be considered
successful. Students increased their knowledge and understanding of creative
entrepreneurship, they improved their skills such as communication and presentation skills,
ability to solve the problems in a creative and innovative way and team work. The pilot
activity demanded the proactive attitude not only from the students, but also from the
teachers. They had to study the e-learning programme and then to prepare interesting and
valuable sessions for the students. However, this approach enabled to reach many other
students even after the completing the pilot activity.
The most difficult to deliver but at the same time the most successful part of the mentoring
part of the pilot activity was the session with entrepreneurs. Almost every school reported
that they have problems to find and persuade the entrepreneurs to cooperate with the
school. Anyway, once they achieved that, the session was beneficial for all of them.
SUCCESSES:
 The e-learning programme with introductory information turned out to be a good
starting point for that teachers and career counsellor who aren’t familiar with the
holistic concept of entrepreneurship education.
 Giving teachers the responsibility to establish cooperation with the local
entrepreneurs was challenging but also very beneficial for them at the same time.
 Students were very pleasantly surprised that they had the opportunity to start to think
about the possibilities of “creating” their own jobs based on their interests and
hobbies.
CHALLENGES:
 The concept of creative entrepreneurship was challenging to understand not only for
the students, but also for the teachers, especially for the teachers from business
academy programmes.
 Some students were difficult to get involved, especially during the activities based on
their proactive attitude, like discussions, brainstorming, etc. They lacked teaching
materials.
 The delivery of the session with the real entrepreneur turned to be very time-
consuming for the teachers.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN IMPROVED?
 Better communication and controlling strategy: the teachers didn’t communicate
some challenges (e.g. problems with motivating the students, lack of time for the
delivery), especially that which could be easily solved by the coordinator before the
delivery.

9.  More emphasis on the meetings with creative entrepreneurs. Every school invited
only one entrepreneur, even thought they were invited to arrange as many meetings
as possible.
WHAT MIGHT BE CHANGED/ADAPTED?
 Regarding the training of teachers, at least one interactive workshop or seminar
could be add to an e-learning programme to strengthen and widen the knowledge
gained through e-learning.
 Regarding the mentoring part of the pilot: it is recommended to extend the time
allocation especially for the meetings with entrepreneurs and for the session
dedicated to presentation of fictive firms.
7. Insight
Awareness on the importance of entrepreneurship education in the Czech Republic is very
small. Educational institutions still understand entrepreneurship education as an acquisition
of basic business and economic knowledge by students in business academies, while the
concept of entrepreneurship education for all categories of education, as a part of career
education, isn't much known. The Czech educational system and its Framework educational
programmes do include the career education, which is demonstrated with the cross
curriculum theme »The Man and world of work«, mandatory for primary, lower secondary
and upper secondary education. Even though we understand entrepreneurship education as
a part of career education, this concept still isn’t recognised by the teachers of career
education. Therefore, the first step for policymakers in terms of promoting the
entrepreneurship education in the Czech Republic should be the creation and
implementation of the National strategy for entrepreneurship education. That would be a
very good starting point to implement the activities proved by the pilot to a wider audience.
Overall, this pilot can be considered as successful as every participating school
demonstrated the willingness to continue with these activities with other students of their
school. That is possible also due to the fact, that they can easily implement these activities
into the curriculum, even though the time allocation for the whole career education is very
low.
Findings:
 As the concept of creative entrepreneurship is unknown among teachers, it is crucial
to put an emphasis on the trainings for teachers.
 Students and teachers found the activities undertaken very motivating and
refreshing, especially the meetings with entrepreneurs.
 Even though the activities were incorporated into the curriculum, teachers found
them very time consuming, particularly the preparation phase of the activities.