Blog

Teaching Entrepreneurship, Changing Lives

April Hawkins, Assistant Vice President, MetLife Foundation

At the most basic level, the JA Company Programme aims to teach young people how to start and operate a real business. Anyone who has had the privilege of volunteering with the programme or speaking with participants knows that it accomplishes so much more. It changes students’ lives.

Building an entrepreneurial future for Europe

Amadeo Petitbò Juan, Board Member, Fundación Rafael del Pino, Spain

The economic crisis and the new challenges faced by European societies have led to the emergence of a new group of young students who are characterized by their passion to become an entrepreneur and their ability to face the risks attached to join a business activity.

Driving entrepreneurship through the JA Company Programme

Swati Patel, Senior Vice President Community Development EMEA, Citi

I was first introduced to Junior Achievement and Young Enterprise 10 years ago when my then 15 year old son was taking part in JA’s Company Programme. I can remember as a proud parent attending the finals and eagerly looking for a front row seat in the host company’s auditorium and loudly cheering for my son’s team - they were runners up and we still have a few of the coat hangers they made at home.

A change in attitude towards education is needed

Danuta Jazłowiecka, MEP, EE-HUB.EU Ambassador

When I ask school-aged young people what they would like to do in the future, only a small percentage have clear ideas about their professional careers. This shows that teenagers are very often not able nor prepared to make decisions when it comes to choosing a university or even their studies. Therefore teaching them to be active, entrepreneurial, responsible, flexible and ready to adapt to changing social and economic conditions should be one of the main tasks faced by European schools in this century.

My two loves: Corporate & Entrepreneurship

Louise Vang Edwards, JA Denmark Alumna

My name is Louise and I love corporate. Phew I said it.

On the surface there’s obviously nothing wrong with this statement, but seeing as I credit most of my professional successes to an entrepreneurship program and an amazing entrepreneurship network it took me a while to be comfortable with the fact that starting my own company is not my ultimate dream.