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Visit the Vickathon website, currently available in Hebrew, or contact Galit Zamler for information in English.
In a rapidly changing world, theoretical knowledge alone is no longer enough. Students need practical tools that will help them face challenges, think creatively, solve problems and develop confidence, resilience and a strong sense of capability.
The international Entrepreneurship for Kids and Youth Program, developed by Galit Zamler, has been implemented for many years in dozens of schools in Israel and around the world, including in the United States, Vietnam, India and other countries.
The program provides school leaders and educators with a comprehensive solution that can be adapted to the needs of each school:
✓Essential skills development: creative thinking, teamwork, public speaking, problem-solving, decision-making and the ability to take calculated risks.
✓Designed for schools: a structured yet flexible program that can be tailored to each educational setting and implemented by teachers with professional guidance and support.
✓Experiential learning: students do not only learn about entrepreneurship. They develop their own ideas, plan initiatives, work collaboratively and turn ideas into action.
Alongside Israel's impressive achievements, continued investment is needed to preserve its position as an entrepreneurial and innovative country. To do so, we must nurture the next generation and prepare young people for a dynamic world in which constant change has become the new normal.
Entrepreneurship education plays an important role in strengthening both personal resilience and economic resilience. Investing in it from an early age benefits students, schools and society as a whole.
A common question is: Why teach entrepreneurship? If Israel is already considered one of the world's most entrepreneurial countries, and so many Israeli entrepreneurs have achieved international success, perhaps entrepreneurship is simply part of the Israeli character and does not need to be taught.
The answer is that entrepreneurship education goes far beyond teaching students how to start a business. It develops ways of thinking and patterns of behavior through a process that combines varied learning methods, practical experience, empowerment and mentoring.
Entrepreneurship education is not intended to turn every student into an entrepreneur. Most students will eventually work as employees, professionals or members of organizations. However, the skills developed through entrepreneurship education are valuable in every career path, whether a person becomes an entrepreneur, an employee or an intrapreneur within an organization.
Professional knowledge alone is no longer enough. Success in today's changing world also requires initiative, adaptability, creativity, problem-solving, communication and the confidence to act. Developing these skills through education is an important investment in students' futures.
The benefits of teaching entrepreneurship from an early age include:
✓ Making education more relevant to the realities and demands of the 21st century.
✓ Making the benefits of entrepreneurship education accessible to students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, including underserved communities, and helping reduce educational and opportunity gaps.
✓ Developing entrepreneurial skills equally among girls and boys and encouraging both to see themselves as capable of initiating and leading change.
✓ Empowering students and strengthening their confidence that they can succeed in the path they choose, regardless of their current academic achievements.
✓ Exposing young people to different types of ventures and encouraging them to identify opportunities, take initiative and make a meaningful contribution to the world.
✓ Helping students understand that failure is a natural part of learning and development. When they reflect on it, learn from it and try again, failure becomes valuable experience.
Professor Dan Shechtman, who received the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, expressed a similar view: "Entrepreneurship studies are vital to any country that wants to survive in a world whose natural resources are rapidly depleting."
Galit Zamler believes that entrepreneurship education should begin at an early age. In 2009, she developed the Entrepreneurship for Kids and Youth Program as an enrichment program designed specifically for schools. Since then, the program has been implemented in dozens of schools in Israel and in countries around the world, including the United States, China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, South Africa and more.
The program equips young people with essential life skills and prepares them to succeed in a rapidly changing world. In recent years, educators and school leaders worldwide have increasingly recognized the importance of developing these skills as part of the educational process.
The program was designed specifically for schools, enabling principals and teachers with no previous background in entrepreneurship to guide and mentor their students. Educators receive the knowledge, structure and support they need to create an encouraging learning environment in which every student can participate, experiment and believe in their ability to succeed.
Developing entrepreneurial skills requires two complementary approaches. On the one hand, students should be exposed to creative ideas, inventions, innovation processes and inspiring entrepreneurs. On the other hand, they need opportunities, guidance and support to develop and implement ideas of their own.
The EFK Program is rich and flexible, allowing each school, teacher or group of students to focus on areas that are most relevant to them. Projects may involve social, environmental, scientific, technological, business or other forms of entrepreneurship.
Through the program, students learn to identify needs and opportunities, generate ideas, evaluate possible solutions, plan projects, take responsibility, set and achieve goals, collect and analyze relevant information, communicate persuasively, speak in front of an audience, solve problems, work in teams and manage basic financial considerations. They also develop creativity, independent thinking, confidence and social skills.
The program combines theoretical knowledge with meaningful hands-on learning through discussions, presentations, videos, practical exercises and the implementation of projects created by the students themselves.
This combination of entrepreneurial knowledge, practical experience and mentoring provides students with the tools and confidence they need to succeed, whether they eventually become entrepreneurs, employees, professionals or leaders within organizations.
Entrepreneurial skills can be developed from an early age. Because children and young people are still forming habits, beliefs and patterns of behavior, the school environment can play an important role in encouraging initiative, creativity, responsibility and a willingness to learn from experience.
Watch Galit Zamler's lecture at the Open University Entrepreneurship Club about the story of the EFK Program and its impact in Israel and around the world. The lecture is in Hebrew.
The guiding principle behind the program is that the future of every country and its citizens depends to a large extent on the education, skills and opportunities we provide to the next generation.
Like Janusz Korczak said:
He who cares for days sows wheat.
He who cares for years plants trees.
He who cares for generations educates people.
Nice to meet you. I'm Galit Zamler, an entrepreneurship education expert, lecturer and the developer of the international Entrepreneurship for Kids and Youth Program (EFK).
My experience as a former intrapreneur, together with my work as a serial entrepreneur, enables me to bring a unique perspective to education: a direct connection between the dynamic, real-world practice of entrepreneurship and the learning environment at school.
I developed the EFK Program in 2009 and have since introduced it in dozens of schools in Israel and in countries around the world, including the United States, Vietnam, India and more. My ability to simplify complex entrepreneurial processes and make them accessible, practical and engaging helps students and educators develop essential life skills and bring an innovative spirit into the school environment.
Alongside my work in entrepreneurship education, I also lead innovation events and hackathons based on the Vickathon methodology I developed.
I hold an MBA in Business Administration and serve as a lecturer, mentor and co-founder of Galial 3.14 Ltd.
I invite you to bring entrepreneurial thinking, creativity and essential 21st-century skills into your school.
What Will You Find on This Site, and Who Is It For?
This website offers extensive information about the Entrepreneurship for Kids and Youth Program developed by Galit Zamler, along with practical workshops and lectures on topics such as creative thinking and public speaking.
Educators, school leaders and others who recognize the importance of entrepreneurship education from an early age will find a wide range of content, examples and applications for elementary, middle and high school students.
The site also includes information about entrepreneurial skills that can help people succeed in many areas of life. Each skill is illustrated through examples and stories of entrepreneurs and ventures from Israel and around the world. The goal is not only to explain entrepreneurship, but also to inspire readers to think creatively, take initiative and believe in their ability to make a difference.
The ideas and examples presented on this site have also helped Galit Zamler draw inspiration from other entrepreneurs and navigate challenges she encountered while leading and participating in different ventures.
Who Is an Entrepreneur?
At first glance, the definition seems simple: an entrepreneur is someone who takes an idea and acts to bring it to life.
In practice, the definition is much broader. Almost everyone has ideas, but many ideas remain only thoughts or topics of conversation and are never put into action.
The difference often lies in the skills, knowledge and experience a person has developed, as well as in the environment in which they operate.
A school or organizational environment can encourage entrepreneurship and initiative, but it can also suppress them. Educational institutions that want to develop both their students and their staff should make room for bold and unconventional ideas, allow people to experiment and treat failure as a natural part of learning.
Entrepreneurial thinking involves imagining a different reality, taking action to improve what needs to change and believing in our ability to make a difference. Entrepreneurial people do not simply complain about the current situation. They take responsibility and act to change it. They see opportunities within challenges and remain attentive to their surroundings so they can identify possibilities for growth and success.
Essential Entrepreneurial Skills and Qualities
Among the essential entrepreneurial skills and qualities are: vision and focus on a goal, determination and perseverance, the courage to take action and not fear failure, the ability to learn from mistakes, the desire to learn and grow, healthy self-esteem, belief in oneself and one's abilities, leadership, optimism, proactivity, planning skills, decision-making, financial and budget management, social and interpersonal communication skills, oral and written communication, respect for others, attentive listening, responsibility and accountability, patience, a willingness to face new challenges, the ability to identify opportunities, acceptance of different people and perspectives, creativity, the joy of creating, the ability to ask for help, negotiation, the ability to manage oneself and others, the ability to take calculated risks, the ability to distinguish between what is important and what is less important, self-motivation, flexible thinking, realism, ambition, teamwork, self-discipline and the desire to create change.
The skills required for entrepreneurship are valuable life skills that can help every child succeed in life and in the changing world of work.
Most entrepreneurial skills can be developed through learning, practice and experience. It is beneficial to nurture them from an early age, when children and young people can more easily adopt new ways of thinking, abilities and patterns of behavior.
These skills are valuable not only for people who establish their own ventures, but also for employees and intrapreneurs who create value and lead change within existing organizations.
Students who participate in the Entrepreneurship for Kids and Youth Program learn why these skills matter. Through theoretical and experiential learning, they practice, internalize and gradually adopt them.
Now It's Your Turn to Bring Entrepreneurship Education to Your School
Educators, school leaders and teachers who recognize the importance of entrepreneurship education from an early age are invited to contact Galit Zamler for more information about the Entrepreneurship for Kids and Youth Program, creative thinking workshops and lectures.
Together, we can help students develop the confidence, creativity, initiative and practical skills they need for life and for the changing world ahead.
