Guest Viewpoint: Entrepreneurship education develops leaders

The catalyst for their achievements? Participation in a youth entrepreneurship education program.

A surprising number of young, aspiring entrepreneurs walk in our midst. But because they don’t receive entre­pren­eurship training in school, most never act on their entrepren­eurial vision.

Those students, who do not learn about running a business at the family dinner table, typically do not perceive that they have access through the school system to the skills and knowledge that will enable them to have a shot at “making a job” rather than “taking a job.” Without such opportunities, we all lose.

Small businesses account for more than half the nation’s jobs and generate most new jobs. Moreover, small businesses are often the first entry point into the labor force for youths and young adults.

According to research conducted by Harvard University and supported by the Goldman Sachs Foundation, young people who learn about entre­pren­eurship develop a “success” orientation and are more likely to focus on becoming professionals and entering the work force.

The students in this survey were participants in a program created by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepren­eurship (NFTE). Since 1987, NFTE has reached out to more than 120,000 youths and trained more than 3,700 teachers. NFTE has active programs in 31 states and 13 countries.

Evidence is growing that entrepreneurship training can significantly enhance achievement motivation, internal personal control, and self-esteem. Young people with such training are inspired to take more responsibility for what happens to them.

Recognizing this, the New York City Council, in partnership with the New York City Department of Education, recently voted to expand NFTE’s youth entrepreneurship education curriculum into high schools in every city council district.

Youth entrepreneurship education programs -- and their role in enhancing academic performance -- have been the subject of much debate within the academic community. Some critics dismiss such programs as auxiliary after-school activities.

Studies going back to the 1980s concluded that the formal education system is not particularly supportive of entrepreneurship.

It might even suppress the more important psychological attributes known to predict whether a person will pursue entrepreneurship, including the need for achievement, creativity, initiative, risk taking, goal setting, energy, commitment, and persistence.

Middle and high school students, particularly those who find themselves struggling academically, all too often complain that school seems irrelevant to both their present and future lives. Entrepreneurship and business education programs can help make learning relevant and fill a critical knowledge gap.

The lack of understanding such students have about the workings of the market -- and their place in it -- systematically denies them opportunities for pursuing their dreams and goals. And without goals to pursue, young people are left with little reason to invest in education and their own development.

But not only are youth entrepreneurship education programs beneficial as complements to traditional academic curricula, they can also serve to inspire confidence and leadership in students where such character traits may go unrecognized or undeveloped.

This shift in attitude toward success is critical in helping students stay on track and motivated in school.

The benefits of entrepren­eurship education can reach beyond an individual student’s interest in business. The hands-on, interactive nature of high-quality entre­preneurship curricula has the capacity to engage students by making learning relevant to their real-world experiences and ambitions.

Students learn the basic business skills needed to open and operate a business, but they also learn how to plan and strategize successfully, think critically, and work effectively in teams. Good entrepreneurship programs bring students together to work with one another on real issues. And they build potential for a successful career and financial independence.

The Harvard findings reveal that, compared to a group of their peers, students enrolled in entrepreneurship education programs are more interested in attending college and having a career.

These students are more likely to read independently and are more likely to demonstrate leadership behavior, as measured by their likelihood of taking initiative and leading in business, arts, and sports activities outside of the classroom.

Polls show that students crave this type of learning. Gallup surveys found that nearly seven out of 10 teens age 14-19 would like to start their own business.

The gain in building students’ commitment to success is especially promising. By raising aspirations, entrepreneurship education can positively orient more young people toward college and career.

While the nation’s economy will increasingly rely on entrepreneurs to stimulate economic growth -- and while a growing number of the nation’s students would like to start and own a business -- they are mostly ill-prepared to do so.

In fact, it would be safe to say that few students can pronounce, let alone define, entrepreneurship.

The research on the benefits of entrepreneurship education should be of interest to parents, educators, and boards of education across the nation.