INSIGHTS / PRACTICAL GUIDE
How to choose entrepreneurship training for your team.
Start with the work your team must do, then choose the learning that supports it.
Define a task, not just a topic
“Improve entrepreneurship skills” is too broad to guide a useful training decision. Name a task: help participants assess a business idea, calculate costs or prepare a simple cash-flow plan. Identify who needs to perform it and what currently gets in the way.
Understand your participants
Consider their roles, prior knowledge, language, access to technology and the businesses they support. A programme designed for experienced facilitators may not suit first-time entrepreneurs. Ask how the learning activities will reflect those differences.
Look beyond a course title
Request the learning outcomes, outline and delivery methods. Ask how much time participants spend practising, what feedback they receive and which tasks they complete. Check that any certification conditions are explained separately from attendance.
Agree how learning will be used
Before selecting a provider, identify where participants will use the learning. Allow time for application, name a person who will support it and decide what evidence is useful. Agree whether follow-up and reporting are included.
A useful starting question
Ask your team: “What should we be able to do more effectively a month after this training?” Use the answers to write a short learning brief before requesting proposals.