Most countries are attempting to encourage startups to grow and become the corporate giants of tomorrow, but of course that process has to start with the company being created in the first place. As such, a growing amount of attention is being given to the topic of whether entrepreneurship can be taught.
A recent study suggests that it is very much a skill that can be learned, with the ability to think in an entrepreneurial way something that exists within most of us, even if we don’t know it. It suggests that action orientated training can help to unlock this potential and unleash the entrepreneur in us all.
So it’s interesting to see that co-working giant WeWork has recently launched an effort to encourage young people down an entrepreneurial path. They are launching a kindergarten, called WeGrow, in a New York based WeWork. The school will be designed to support and nurture the children’s passions from an early age, and especially their passion for entrepreneurship.
Action based learning
They plan to utilize hands-on learning as much as possible, alongside some distinctly progressive techniques such as mindfulness and organic cooking. They also hope to tap into the knowledge of entrepreneurs located at WeWork offices around the world. They hope that they will act as mentors for the students to help them develop whatever interests they may have. The facilities will also act as a creche for WeWork tenants to utilize to look after their children whilst they work.
The WeGrow program is currently being piloted in New York, and they hope to launch officially with 65 students next year. It’s an interesting approach, although there are doubts over quite what the best way of teaching entrepreneurship is.
Whilst WeGrow clearly favors the practical, experiential route, a recent study suggests that there is not really any difference between experience based learning or class based learning.
The analysis looked at traditional courses and compared them to those who focus more on learning by doing. The study aimed to explore whether the trend towards experiential learning in entrepreneurship had merit or not.
“Entrepreneurship education is seen as a major force capable of generating long-term socio-economic changes through developing entrepreneurial, creative, flexible and wise individuals. There is an ongoing shift towards experiential learning in business schools, yet there is little empirical evidence to suggest this approach has better impact than traditional learning,” the author says.
Will WeGrow prove them wrong? Time will tell.
