Did you know that, according to a Gallup Poll, nearly 8 out of every 10 high school students would like to start their own companies in the future? Sadly, that same poll revealed that a mere 47 percent of high school students have the opportunity to get any sort of business or entrepreneurship education by the time they graduate.
This raises the question: are we really preparing our youth for their futures?
The unfortunate fact is that schools today simply aren’t stressing the importance of entrepreneurship enough, and it’s beginning to take its toll, both on our youth and on our economy. In fact, according to a study by the Associated Press, a whopping 50 percent of all college grads in 2012 were either unemployed or underemployed, despite their degree!
Not surprisingly, many of these issues could be solved if we only offered children entrepreneurship training from a young age.
The Importance of Entrepreneurship for Our Youth
Youth entrepreneurship programs and classes are vital – not only to helping our children achieve their dreams and find successful careers, but also to ensure that our economy remains prosperous and stable for the long-term. After all, the Small Business Administration estimates that entrepreneurs create 70 percent of all new jobs in our economy.
Instead of finding jobs, entrepreneurs create their own. Once their companies are up and running, they also create more jobs and hire for others as well. In this way, entrepreneurship helps all of us in the long run.
When you look at it in that context, entrepreneurship truly is the backbone of our country. Therefore, it’s never too early to start developing a child’s entrepreneurial spirit. Though schools today often discuss great thinkers and innovators of times past, they rarely show students how to use those lessons and translate them into real life, so they can be applied to students’ careers and futures.
That’s where youth entrepreneurship programs can help. With hands-on training in innovation, creation and technology, young minds are able to get the well-rounded skill set they need to succeed in the future. They learn to think strategically, consider societal needs and trends, and create ways to serve, improve and better our country on the whole.
Youth Entrepreneurship is Our Future
Our future depends on youth entrepreneurship. If you have a young child, stress the importance of entrepreneurship with them from an early age. Enroll them in one of our programs, give them innovative at-home projects, and work with your school district to bring entrepreneurship curriculum to the classroom. The sooner you get started, the better - who knows what big ideas your student will make a reality!
VentureLab Girl Startup students showing off the products they created during their week-long experience learning entrepreneurship. At the end of each week, students pitch and sell their products, getting hands-on experience in what it's like to be an entrepreneur.
