The majority of UK businesses would back initiatives to include lessons in enterprise and entrepreneurship in the school curriculum, new research has revealed.
In a survey of 1,500 small and medium companies, 79% of respondents said they believed equipping the next generation of entrepreneurs should start at school. However, doubt was expressed as to whether the UK’s formal education system, from school through to university, offered sufficient preparation for the business world.
According to Sage UK, which conducted the study, only 45% of business owners were satisfied that formal education gave them the skills they needed for working life, with 41% rating their education as no more than ‘average’. One in ten respondents went even further, claiming their education offered ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ preparation for the working world.
Paul Stobart, chief executive of Sage Northern Europe, said: “Greater emphasis should be placed on encouraging businesses and schools to work more closely in partnership, both at a regional and national level. Schemes like Young Enterprise can inspire and guide young people by giving them exposure to potential role models in the business world from an early age.”
With the recent demise of Enterprise UK, a charity organisation that supports entrepreneurship in Britain, concern about the government’s ability to deliver on its promise to support start-ups and fast-growth companies has been rising. Firms have been called on to build partnerships with schools to help fill this void.
Stobart added: “Partnerships similar to those we have developed with a number of schools and universities throughout the country, offering regular work placements to students, can also be invaluable in equipping young people with essential business skills.”
© Crimson Business. Ltd 2011