HIGH risk of failure, volatility of income and the hard work associated with setting up a business are failing to deter the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

Young people recognise the difficulties associated with going it alone but remain keen to do so, according to a Europe-wide survey.

The survey of 10,434 students aged 16 to 25, published by the Junior Achievement-Young Enterprise (JA-YE) European network, highlights the readiness of the next generation for business.

Students who had taken part in the programme said that they were most inspired by direct contact with business people, a key part of the Young Enterprise experience. They added that participation in JA-YE programmes had strengthened their problem-solving abilities and teamwork.

The research suggests that education plays a crucial role in changing attitudes towards entrepreneurship, which will help to boost the European economy.

In March 2000 the European Council in Lisbon set out a ten-year strategy to make the EU the world’s most dynamic and competitive economy.

Caroline Jenner, chief executive of JA-YE, believes that enteprise programmes in schools will play a key role in achieving this target. “Our future is in the classrooms,” she says.

Gert-Jan Koopman, director for industrial policy and economic reforms of the Directorate-General, said: “Entrepreneurship education does impact the number of young people who choose to set up their own business later on.”

The top reasons that young people gave for wanting to become an entrepreneur were to develop their own career (89 per cent) and the desire to be independent (83 per cent).

Although most respondents recognised the difficulties associated with going it alone, they also said that they felt confident that they could overcome them.

www.young-enterprise.org.uk

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