The approaches on work and social entrepreneurship in vocational and training education in Romania. A thematic analysis of the written curricula

In Eastern Europe private and corporatist sector has emerged after the installation of the democratic regime in the '90. Romania has introduced entrepreneurial education in vocational education and training (VET) since 2003/2004. This paper will explore to what extent the entrepreneurial learning curricula prepare the young people from VET to the most recent challenges from the labour market: the high death rate in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), environmental challenges, the implications of the economic crisis on SMEs, the ethical dilemmas involved in profit-maximising entrepreneurship, the major social and economic barriers faced by young entrepreneurs (including women and minorities), as well as the strategies for addressing them in an informed and innovative way. The paper will also examine what types of content, competencies and attitudes/values related to social enterprises are promoted in the written curricula. The research is based on thematic analysis of the written curricula - textbooks and teaching guides - including entrepreneurial education textbooks since 2003/2004 and it will be grounded in the thematic categories generated by literature review. The rationale is that although one cannot infer causality, textbooks may be influential in shaping young people's perspectives on work and social entrepreneurship.