Portuguese research shows value of entrepreneurial training in developing necessary skills
Purpose The goal was to study how entrepreneurship education and training programmes (EETPs) influence the development of entrepreneurial competencies and creation of business venture Design/methodology/approach The authors tested a series of hypotheses on the EETPs designed for the Sabor Entrepreneurship Programme (SEP), in northern Portugal. They used a detailed questionnaire. At the time of the research (2018), the SEP had had five editions across Sabor’s five municipalities. The main aim of the EETPs was to train participants to run their own companies. Findings The study showed that the entrepreneurship education and training programmes (EETP) developed in the Sabor Region in the north helped participants to develop entrepreneurial skills. Despite these positive results, the researchers were unable to prove statistically that the programme had a definite influence on the creation of companies. Too many other factors, such as financing, bureaucracy and access to information proved critical in the formation of new businesses. Originality/value The researchers were motivated to carry out their research because EETPs have been rapidly expanding throughout the world, but there is no consensus about their effectiveness, or about the best elements to include. To bridge the gaps, the authors examined the role of EETPs in the development of entrepreneurial skills and the creation of businesses.