Sowing Innovation: Business Incubators in VET schools in Castilla y León

Thomas Edison famously remarked, "The value of an idea lies in the use of it." This principle is at the heart of our mission at the General Directorate of Vocational Training and Special Regime. We are committed to transforming the innovative ideas of our students and alumni into practical ventures that contribute value to our community—whether it be economic, social, or cultural.

Introducing the Pilot Project "Business Incubators in Vocational Training Centers

On November 28, we launched the pilot project "Business Incubators in Vocational Training Centers" in Castilla y León. This pioneering initiative involves seven Vocational Education and Training (VET) centers, equipping them with funds to create spaces where students and alumni can develop their business ideas with the support of Entrepreneurship Classroom teachers and other experts. This project is supported by the Ministerio de Educación, España , and the European Union - NextGenerationEU under the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan.

Since 2020, the General Directorate of Vocational Training and Special Regime of the Consejería de Educación - Castilla y León, has championed the creation of entrepreneurship classrooms in VET schools. We aim to cultivate entrepreneurial skills in our students, guided by the EntreComp entrepreneurial competence framework. This framework outlines key competencies across three major areas: Ideas & Opportunities, Resources, and Into Action. Our goal was to offer students physical spaces to actualize their business ideas, with support from Entrepreneurship Classroom educators and professionals. Despite this, we observed that many promising entrepreneurial ideas remained unexecuted.

Create physical spaces where students and graduates can develop their business ideas, with the support and advice of teachers involved in Entrepreneurship Classrooms and other experts

From Idea to Enterprise: Realizing Entrepreneurial Visions

This pilot project allows VET centers with existing entrepreneurship classrooms to expand their infrastructure, providing a plethora of resources and services. This support system assists students and alumni during the crucial early stages of their entrepreneurial journey. By integrating the #EntreComp framework, we emphasize the importance of recognizing opportunities, mobilizing resources efficiently, and taking decisive action to turn classroom-conceived ideas into real-world entrepreneurship projects. Our initiative ensures that students and alumni are well-supported to potentially increase the success rate of their business endeavors.

We are excited about the potential impact of this initiative on our students. Though in its infancy, the project is already showing promising results.

Success Stories in Action

A significant highlight is the business incubator at CIFP Río Tormes , which, demonstrating the project's immediate appeal, received 16 requests from students aiming to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

Another example, the coordinator of Entrepreneurship Classrooms at IES Fuentesnuevas in Ponferrada (León), shared with us that his incubator already has 4 entrepreneurial projects being incubated at this time.

Similarly, the coordinator of the business incubator at CIFP Juan de Herrera in Valladolid,  recently presented his innovative virtual business incubator, allowing access to resources, entrepreneurial projects, and different spaces to work collaboratively and virtually in an entrepreneurial metaverse.

We owe our deepest thanks to the dedicated teachers leading this initiative. Their passion and hard work lay the groundwork for its success, heralding a new era of entrepreneurs equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes outlined in the #EntreComp framework. Through their efforts, we're not just teaching entrepreneurship; we're creating a supportive ecosystem that empowers students to transform ideas into action, harness resources effectively, and pursue opportunities with zeal and determination.