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Project MicroHUB - „Promoting creativity microbusiness through web tools in rural area” (2021-1-SK01-KA220-VET-000032999) aims to help micro businessmen in crafts and arts to become more competitive by supporting their creative business thinking and embracing the advantages that present technology brings.

To be able to effectively do that, we had to find out where the skill gaps in crafters' entrepreneurial education need to be addressed. First, every partner organised online Inception meetings with stakeholders. Altogether 78 teachers from art schools/universities, artists, CEOs and managers and representatives from self-governing regions, government cultural agencies, and chambers of commerce participated.

Then we get in touch with colleagues engaged in similar activities to get acquainted with other EU projects. 20 participants across Europe shared their expert perspectives. To gain more in-depth knowledge on the areas that need to be supported we implemented an online questionnaire in the partners´ countries with 121 respondents. After we analysed all the gathered information, we prepared the Competence Matrix, a tool, that can be used in the design and development of teaching and learning to develop entrepreneurial skills of crafters and artisans. The Matrix was then presented to 95 national stakeholders during focus groups organized by each partner to get their feedback and to do further improvements.

The final version of the Matrix is now available on the project´s website in all consortium languages (English, Slovak, Greek, Bulgarian, Maltese, Swedish, Polish).

The Competence Matrix will serve as a basis for Training modules in the next phase of the project.

MicroHUB consortium: Slovakia (Technical University of Košice), Malta (IIF), Ireland (I&F), Poland (CWEP), Bulgaria (OECOM), Sweden (Sensus) and Greece (Fix in Art).

The project Promoting creativity microbusiness though web tools in rural area (MicroHUB)  was created as a response to the current economic and social crisis caused by COVID - 19. Although the crisis has undoubtedly affected all areas, one of the sectors most affected has been craft and the arts. The MicroHUB project aims to help entrepreneurs, artists and craftspeople to take full advantage of today's technology while teaching them business creative thinking. It aims to help existing micro-businesses or build new ones to be competitive and efficient in both national and foreign markets, while helping to reduce unemployment and revitalise the economy.

In the first phase of the project, an analysis will be made of the competences and skills that are needed for craftsmen and artists to set up or run a successful business. In particular, the focus will be on digital skills and creative entrepreneurial thinking. Digital skills are a prerequisite needed in the current Industry 4.0 era. Creative entrepreneurial thinking will be promoted on the basis of the EntreComp, the Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, a tool for improving the entrepreneurial capacities of European citizens and organisations developed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission. The final product of the analysis will be a Competence Matrix for Digital entrepreneurship and business creative thinking for crafters. On the basis of the Competence Matrix, training modules for educational staff will be developed. The training modules will be designed to enable educators to work with the challenges posed by digitalisation and to teach in a project-oriented way. A digital platform will be created on which micro-entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs from rural areas can collaborate, network or promote their products. At the end of the project, crafters and artisans will have mentors to guide them and help them improve their business skills or adapt their business model.

Capacity building will be supported through the development of digital and entrepreneurial skills and competences of craftspeople and artists. They will acquire new skills and competences that will enrich their professional lives, help them in the labour market and provide new opportunities. The creation of new businesses will be encouraged, helping to revitalise the economy in the post-Covida era.

The project is a collaboration between partners from Slovakia (Technical University of Košice), Malta (IIF), Ireland (I&F), Poland (CWEP), Bulgaria (OECOM), Sweden (Sensus) and Greece (Fix in Art).

For more information see: https://microhub.erasmus.site/

We live in an era when a very specific phenomenon is occuring. People from the so-called Baby Boomer generation (or post-war generation) are still actively participating in the labor market and at same time Generation Y is already reaching its most productive age. Thus, up to four generations can meet at the same workplace at the same time. Each of these generations experienced a different period, was influenced by different events in the world, different technological progress, shaped by different social influences. As a result, each generation has different characteristics and values. This is an unprecedented situation that brings many unexpected challenges, potential conflicts or clashes. If such a situation is not managed, an unpleasant work environment can be created, employees may experience more stress or in the worst cases termination of an employment.