This cluster involves a series of aptitudes, including creative thinking, curiosity, exploratory thinking, innovation, open mindset, originality, initiative, and the capability to spot opportunities (Līce, et al., 2023). The European Commission's Entrepreneurship Competence Framework (Bacigalupo, et al., 2016 as cited in Līce, et al., 2023) offers insight into these skills by stating that creativity involves generation of purpose-driven ideas. Individuals who cultivate creativity reveal a unique capacity to formulate multiple ideas and opportunities that hold the potential to create value, offering enhanced solutions to existing and emerging challenges.
On the other hand, the American Psychological Association (2023), defines curiosity as “the impulse or desire to investigate, observe, or gather information, particularly when
the material is novel or interesting.”
Regarding spotting opportunities, it is a skill that rests on imagination and adeptness, allowing individuals to discern prospects for value creation. This involves examining the social, cultural, and economic landscape to identify opportunities that align with needs and challenges awaiting resolution (Bacigalupo, et al., 2016 as cited in Līce, et al., 2023).
In the world of STEM, where new ideas move things forward, people who foster creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, and the ability to see opportunities can help shape the future by coming up with fresh ideas, creative ways of doing things, and finding new possibilities that no one has thought about before.