When you first hear that entrepreneurship is a core part of Acton Academy Calgary Central, you might pause. You probably associate “entrepreneurship” with starting or running a business. While business can be part of the picture, it doesn’t feel central to what you want for your child’s education.
But here’s the aha moment many parents experience: entrepreneurship is less about owning a company and more about developing a mindset—the very mindset your child will need to thrive in a fast-changing world.
At its heart, entrepreneurship is about character, creativity, and courage. It’s about becoming the kind of person who sees challenges as opportunities, takes initiative, and has the resilience to follow through. These are the entrepreneurship skills that Acton Academy Calgary Central builds in learners from the very first day.
Entrepreneurship as a Mindset, Not a Job Title
At Acton Academy Calgary Central, we don’t train your child to simply “run a business.” Instead, we nurture a way of thinking and being that equips them for life. Here are the core entrepreneurship skills your child will practice every day:
- Creative problem-solving – approaching challenges with imagination and resourcefulness.
- Resilience and grit – pushing forward when things get tough.
- Leadership and teamwork – learning to guide others while collaborating effectively.
- Curiosity and innovation – staying open to new ideas and experimenting with solutions.
- Courageous risk-taking – developing the confidence to step into the unknown.
- Adaptability and flexibility – thriving in change rather than resisting it.
- Initiative and ownership – taking responsibility for their learning and projects.
- Perseverance through challenge – staying the course when setbacks happen.
- Empathy and service to others – understanding needs and creating value for people around them.
These are the very attributes identified by educators and researchers as essential for 21st-century learners (World Economic Forum highlights problem-solving, creativity, and resilience among the most in-demand skills of the future). At Acton, they aren’t taught through lectures—they’re lived every day.
How Acton Academy Cultivates Entrepreneurship Skills
The Acton model is designed to let entrepreneurship skills grow naturally. Instead of passive lessons, your child learns through Socratic discussions, learner-driven projects, apprenticeships, and hands-on quests. These experiences empower them to practice ownership, leadership, and problem-solving in real time.
Here are some of the ways we build these abilities:
- Children’s Business Fair – Your child will design, launch, and run their own small business at Calgary’s Children’s Business Fair. They’ll experience firsthand the excitement—and challenge—of creating something from scratch, while learning resilience, creativity, and customer service.
- Socratic discussions and quests – Instead of being told answers, your child explores big questions and real-world challenges with peers. This sparks critical thinking and innovative approaches.
- Studio leadership – Learners set personal goals, hold one another accountable, and take on responsibilities that give them a voice in shaping their studio community.
- Apprenticeships – Older learners step into real-world workplaces, exploring passions and test-driving careers. They develop confidence, initiative, and adaptability in authentic environments.
Through these daily practices, your child doesn’t just learn about entrepreneurship—they become entrepreneurial in their mindset.
Why Entrepreneurship Skills Matter for Every Child
The world your child will graduate into is not the same world you grew up in. Careers change rapidly, industries rise and fall, and technology transforms opportunities overnight. That’s why entrepreneurship skills are no longer optional—they are essential for every learner.
Even if your child never owns a company, these skills will empower them to thrive as a scientist, artist, engineer, teacher, doctor, or leader in service. They will:
- Adapt to change with resilience.
- See problems as opportunities to innovate.
- Work with empathy and compassion.
- Lead with confidence in uncertain times.
Research consistently shows that entrepreneurial traits like initiative, creativity, and problem-solving are linked to success in education, work, and life (OECD Education Report). At Acton Academy Calgary Central, these aren’t abstract concepts—they’re lived experiences.
If you’d like to see how these skills fit into our broader approach, explore our learner-driven model and FAQ page.
From Hesitation to Inspiration
As a parent, it’s natural to hesitate at first when you hear the word “entrepreneurship.” It sounds like it belongs to boardrooms and start-ups. But when you see how your child learns to think differently, act courageously, and serve others with creativity, the word takes on a new meaning.
At Acton Academy Calgary Central, entrepreneurship isn’t about raising CEOs. It’s about raising resilient, curious, and courageous human beings who can find their calling and make a difference in the world.
That’s the gift of true entrepreneurship, and it starts on day one.
