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The level of education of entrepreneurs and managing directors in the region of Valencia is below that of their peers in Spain

Human capital is a key factor to improving productivity and well-being. Especially important are the entrepreneurs (i.e., employers and managers) who make business decisions and assume risks since management quality and strategic vision depend on how well entrepreneurs are educated. The education level of entrepreneurs in the Valencian Community may be the reason why the region’s per capita GDP and productivity levels are below the national average. In Spain, 33% of entrepreneurs are university-educated, compared to 28.8% in Valencia. While senior managers in the Valencian Community have a much higher educational level than business people in general, whether with employees or self-employed, at 73.2%, it is still inferior to that of their peers in Spain, 2.2 percentage points higher. While the educational level of entrepreneurs tends to be higher in larger firms, in Valencia it remains below the national average at all firm sizes. Consequently, to approximate Spain’s productivity levels, the Valencian Community must also close the human capital gap among its entrepreneurs.