The Regional Directorate for Youth stressed today the significant increase in participation of elementary school teachers (46%) and vocational training teachers (42%) in the sixth edition of the programme "Entrepreneurial Education: The Path to Success."
 
Pilar Damião stressed that this growth "meets the Government's goal to consolidate this project at all levels of compulsory education, ensuring that the concepts, attitudes and entrepreneurial practices become a way of thinking and acting among young Azoreans and help them to take initiatives in the social, cultural environmental and business fields."
 
The Regional Director spoke at the opening of the initial training for teachers under this project, stressing that this edition involves the participation of 144 teachers; 91 more than in the first edition of the programme.
 
With regard to students involved, the number increased from 1,040 in the first edition to 3,700. Currently, the initiative covers 62 regional schools.
 
Pilar Damião recalled that the programme "Entrepreneurial Education: The Path to Success" has emerged as "a challenge to young people, teachers and schools, anticipating the European Commission that has been emphasising, since 2014, the importance of including entrepreneurship in various levels of education."
 
For the Regional Director for Youth, challenging young people to develop an attitude associated with innovation, technology, quality, creativity, information and organisation has become vital in the education of smart generations.
 
In this context, Pilar Damião stressed that, with the participants in this year's edition, "we can proudly say that 260 teachers have received specialised training in entrepreneurial education, through accredited training attendance, and applied the training package in about 650 classes."
 
"Entrepreneurial Education: The Path to Success" is an initiative developed by the Azorean Government, through the Regional Directorates for Youth and Education, in collaboration with the Society for the Business Development of the Azores (SDEA).
 
The training course for teachers, which takes place in Ponta Delgada until Thursday, involves the participation of 40 teachers working at basic education (middle school and junior high school), secondary and vocational training schools. It aims to improve and expand the knowledge of teachers in the area of entrepreneurship.
 
The training course for elementary school teachers takes place in Angra do Heroísmo and is intended for teachers who are participating in this programme for the first time. The initiative is aims to the raise the awareness of teachers and students for the entrepreneurial potential and the possibility to control their future. These skills will allow them, in the long run, to create their own job, while contributing to active employment policies and the generation of wealth in the Region.