Discussions
"In my opinion, an educator must be a knowledge transmitter [...]"
In response to topic:
The educator’s role: knowledge transmitter or partner in growth?
Updates
Join our HUB study visit
What does the ideal place look like where VET students don’t [...]
Tips & tricks
Guiding students during their first steps in entrepreneurship isn’t easy. Therefore, get inspired by the following Tips & Tricks.
(Do you have another one? Please share it with us, we will add yours to this list!)
Co-develop a shared coaching framework or toolkit. Hold monthly peer learning sessions to align language, values, and methods.
Set realistic limits. Use group coaching when individual sessions aren’t feasible, and support each other through regular team check-ins.
Collect qualitative data (student journals, testimonials, reflection logs) alongside traditional outcomes like project success or skill assessments.
Model vulnerability, listen actively, and avoid judgmental responses. Safety encourages students to share ideas and doubts more openly.
Normalize failure by sharing real entrepreneurial stories, including your own. Create low-stakes opportunities to experiment and reflect.
Teach feedback literacy. Use peer coaching models so students learn to give and receive constructive, non-defensive feedback.
Make reflection purposeful and short. Use tools like “stop-start-continue” after each project sprint or pitch session.
Use coaching tools like group agreements, regular retrospectives, or facilitated dialogues to address tensions constructively.
Let students define their own goals and success criteria. Provide tools like project charters or coaching journals to guide their autonomy.
Clarify the coaching role: you’re a guide, not a therapist. Create referral pathways if deeper emotional or mental health support is needed.
Explore their personal goals and interests through one-on-one coaching sessions. Connect their learning to real-world impact or personal values.
Use differentiated coaching. Group students based on development stage or skill set, and tailor guidance to each group.
Coach each team on roles, expectations, and reflection. Use structured check-ins to ensure balanced participation and self-awareness.
Offer support through structured peer observation and feedback. Use appreciative inquiry to focus on what works, and build from there.
Focus less on delivering content and more on asking powerful, open-ended questions that help students reflect, explore, and take ownership of their learning.
Set expectations early. Explain that in entrepreneurship, ambiguity is normal—and that your role is to guide their thinking, not give “right” answers.
Emphasize process over content—coaching is about guiding reflection, not giving expert business advice. Bring in guest entrepreneurs when needed.
Integrate coaching into existing structures—use project check-ins, assessment feedback, or mentorship moments as coaching opportunities.
Acknowledge their concerns and show evidence of impact. Share student feedback or examples from other institutions using coaching successfully.
Start small—introduce coaching strategies during team meetings or run a peer coaching session to show its value in action.
The 2 main results of the C-ENTRE project:
An 18-hour training course in both entrepreneurial theory and practical coaching methods with which educators can guide students toward real-world business opportunities, aligning vocational education more closely with labour market demands.
A practical guide on how to establish entrepreneur HUBs which create a bridge between education and the labour market, offering students practical experience, mentorship, and support in their entrepreneurial ventures.
Guiding students during their first steps in entrepreneurship isn’t easy. Therefore, get inspired by the following Tips & Tricks.
(Do you have another one? Please share it with us, we will add yours to this list!)
Co-develop a shared coaching framework or toolkit. Hold monthly peer learning sessions to align language, values, and methods.
Set realistic limits. Use group coaching when individual sessions aren’t feasible, and support each other through regular team check-ins.
Collect qualitative data (student journals, testimonials, reflection logs) alongside traditional outcomes like project success or skill assessments.
Model vulnerability, listen actively, and avoid judgmental responses. Safety encourages students to share ideas and doubts more openly.
Normalize failure by sharing real entrepreneurial stories, including your own. Create low-stakes opportunities to experiment and reflect.
Teach feedback literacy. Use peer coaching models so students learn to give and receive constructive, non-defensive feedback.
Make reflection purposeful and short. Use tools like “stop-start-continue” after each project sprint or pitch session.
Use coaching tools like group agreements, regular retrospectives, or facilitated dialogues to address tensions constructively.
Let students define their own goals and success criteria. Provide tools like project charters or coaching journals to guide their autonomy.
Clarify the coaching role: you’re a guide, not a therapist. Create referral pathways if deeper emotional or mental health support is needed.
Explore their personal goals and interests through one-on-one coaching sessions. Connect their learning to real-world impact or personal values.
Use differentiated coaching. Group students based on development stage or skill set, and tailor guidance to each group.
Coach each team on roles, expectations, and reflection. Use structured check-ins to ensure balanced participation and self-awareness.
Offer support through structured peer observation and feedback. Use appreciative inquiry to focus on what works, and build from there.
Focus less on delivering content and more on asking powerful, open-ended questions that help students reflect, explore, and take ownership of their learning.
Set expectations early. Explain that in entrepreneurship, ambiguity is normal—and that your role is to guide their thinking, not give “right” answers.
Emphasize process over content—coaching is about guiding reflection, not giving expert business advice. Bring in guest entrepreneurs when needed.
Integrate coaching into existing structures—use project check-ins, assessment feedback, or mentorship moments as coaching opportunities.
Acknowledge their concerns and show evidence of impact. Share student feedback or examples from other institutions using coaching successfully.
Start small—introduce coaching strategies during team meetings or run a peer coaching session to show its value in action.
The 2 main results of the C-ENTRE project:
An 18-hour training course in both entrepreneurial theory and practical coaching methods with which educators can guide students toward real-world business opportunities, aligning vocational education more closely with labour market demands.
A practical guide on how to establish entrepreneur HUBs which create a bridge between education and the labour market, offering students practical experience, mentorship, and support in their entrepreneurial ventures.
Tips & tricks
What if students expect clear answers instead of discovering solutions themselves?
Quotes
Practical tools on entrepreneurship education
Dutch participant Anja Zijlstra especially highlighted the practical tools on entrepreneurship education: [...]
C-ENTRE: your inspiration on coaching in VET Entrepreneurship Education
