How do you make an entrepreneur?

Some people may be born entrepreneurs. But with the right education and employment policies, we can help create many more.

Even now, many years after the crash, global unemployment remains above its pre-crisis levels. And according to the International Labour Organization, it’s still increasing.

This is part of the reason why under-25s are three times more likely than older people to be unemployed — and the problem is not going away. Even without potential job losses, the world economy needs to create tens of millions of additional jobs every year, just to provide employment for new entrants to the labor market.

This poses a significant long-term challenge for both businesses and governments, but it’s also a significant opportunity.

How can we help young people help themselves?

In any time of change, it’s through innovation and adaptation that new opportunities can be created.

This is why, if the next generation is to have the opportunity to find fulfilling careers, they need to acquire the attributes that will help them adapt and thrive in a world where the only certainty is change.

To do that, says Maria Pinelli, EY Partner and Chair of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), “they need belief in their ability to shape their own futures; they need to get comfortable with taking risks; and they need to build the knowhow, confidence and resilience to innovate in the face of challenges.”

In short, they need to think like entrepreneurs. Read more

Maria Pinelli - EY: Building a better working world