Why enterprise?

The scale of the challenge:

Young people, and the communities in which they live, face unprecedented challenge.

The UK’s future competitive advantage in world trade is becoming more and more dependent on the technical skills, knowledge, creativity and enterprise capabilities of its workforce.

Globalisation and changes in technology have transformed business, industry and employment, requiring the workforce to have new levels of enterprise and innovation.  Lower skilled jobs are often outsourced to low wage economies and higher skilled workers compete on a national and international level for opportunities.

The global economic crisis and recession have compounded these problems, and, as unemployment has spread across the UK, young people have been disproportionately hit. There are twice as many young people unemployed as any other group. Now, nationally, one in five 16-24 year olds is not in education, employment or training.

Creating a culture of enterprise in education, where young people develop enterprise skills, attitudes and aspirations, will help them take the leap from ‘taking a job’ to ‘making a job.’ It will also help prepare young people with the sort of skills that employers need and help them compete in the global marketplace.

Without this shift in mind-set, we face a generation of young people scarred by joblessness and ill-equipped to thrive in the competitive global economy.

Read more about why enterprise and entrepreneurship are a critical part of a 21^st century education is our campaign paper here.