tools for learning and development of entrepreneurial competencies

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III. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRAINING FIRMS’ METHOD In terms of contemporary economic development, marked by trends of globalization and market economy, the social partners cannot have just the role of observers; they need to participate effectively in the decision-making process and its implementation, so that business can achieve their planned objectives. Social partnership in vocational training is linked to the idea of association and that of joint, collective action. The concept of association is, in turn, traditionally linked with concepts of participation, collaboration and cooperation. The partnership is not just a new social structure, but it represents a new philosophy of development of social relations. Therefore, it is important to identify those partners who really have to say something, which can optimize the decision in a particular social process through their input and support. Figure 2. Sites promoting training firms School-business partnership that aims to sustain work-based learning takes on a new dimension in terms of carrying out practical training of students as a learning method. Although there is no real transfer of property or money, and no other types of transactions held, orders and invoices are issued, and financial records are maintained - including records of creditors, the debtor, transactions and stocks, and so on. A business practice is very often assisted by at least a real company - the so-called Mentor Company - whose products and services are in the same range and category of business practice. Mentor Company provides information on technical and management problems. Practice companies undertake market research, business advertising, acquisition of raw materials, transport operations, management of inventories, development of plans and strategies on short and medium term, production of goods on simulated markets, payment of salaries, fees, etc. and submission of statistical reports. In addition to these objectives, there are also other targets to be achieved such as the ability to take initiative, increase confidence and obtain the necessary knowledge to establish work teams, sharing tasks and choice management within companies. Participants in the company learn how to activate within the teams, take responsibility, develop self-initiative and improve their professional and technical skills. Prior to the establishment and registration, training firms identify businesses that have the same object of activity and choose a firm as Mentor. This company agrees and gets involved in creating partnership with the company office, materialized by a partnership agreement covering mutual benefits.
Differentiation criteria Accomplishments Training firm Decision-making is similar to real life circumstance, but the goods and services are virtual. Real firm The entire spectrum of possible tasks. Real goods and services. Cash flows There is no real cash flow. Real cash flow Company Risk The company does not undertake any risks, The risks must be undertaken. External contacts Table 1. Differences between training firms and real companies In training firms students behave as responsible managers or employees and educate their entrepreneurial spirit. They exercise real economic transactions within a company, as the training firm is structured in correspondence with the real situations. The departments are similar: human resources, secretarial, marketing, sales, finance, accounting, and the firm’s activity is conducted as required by law that applies to the Mentor Company. It is registered at the Central Office ROCT Timisoara and uses the same documents as the Mentor Company, having a distinctive mark TEACHERS USE / WORK FORM. Business activity of the exercise firm is characterized by two defining aspects: - Virtual: there are no real money and no real goods; - Real: the commercial legislation is observed, there is an informational flow, there are documents similar to those used by Mentor Company. Simulated situations and the failure to succeed constitute relevant, vital and necessary experiences for students. Wrong decisions, which for the Mentor Company could lead to endangering its existence, do not attract negative economic consequences because students operate in a virtual situation. Skills training is achieved through practice situations in the Mentor Company, and the exercises are multiple in structure and texture. Acquiring key skills (ability to work in teams, interdisciplinary thinking, communication skills, and ability to make decisions) allows students to obtain professional skills and labor market flexibility and high affinity towards finding a work place. These skills can reduce the period of accommodation at real work environments and can bring great benefit for future employees and employers. The power of the exercise firm lies in the networking determined by the conduct of market trading on behalf of training firms (national and international) and in communication with the external environment of the firm of exercise, namely: collaboration with the Mentor, with other operators, with state institutions etc. The relationship with the Mentor Company does not materialize only through sponsorship, but also through actual practical training conducted by business students in the departments of this company. On this occasion, students are faced with real situations. To successfully implement this new concept of teaching in school and achieve performance, the Mentor Company should provide financial and logistic support concerning: - Documentation and materials; - Provide access to specific hardware equipment and software applications; - Legislation in force; - Real accounting records; - Provide the environment for repetitive actions; - Sponsor the participation of the practice firm at dedicated national and international expositions. These efforts are compensated through the advertising of the Mentor Company at local level, as an example of good practices that sustain the correlation between the labor market and key competencies.
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