Skill assessment for rural multitasking entrepreneurs

Whilst farmers entrepreneurship is related to the complexity of rural socio-economic contest, farm competitiveness, due to present scenarios, implies also the reinforcement and development of individuals' human capital. "Percorsi di Orientamento" (2008-2011), financed by the Ministery of Labour and social Affairs, aimed at supporting female entrepreneurship in the textile agriculture and craft sector. While investigating the possibility to exploit wasted local wools addressing them into "short" productive processing chains providing sheep breeders with new incoming, the project has tested a psychological device, the skills assessment, as a vocational guidance tool supporting individuals-entrepreneurs in facing changes affecting rural economies and societies; thus, it gave contribution to rural development focusing on personal and professional development. In order to find better ways to deal with enterprise diversification needs and support rural development, activities aimed at creating networks among sheep breeders and traditional textile craft people (hand weavers, tailors, felters, embroiders) have been also implemented.