Can Students Create Jobs?

More and more students are taking breaks from university to explore enterprise and start their own business.

Developing a business idea, writing a business plan, finding a mentor and raising finance is becoming increasingly popular as a career choice.

Students are beginning to see the value in meeting with and learning from successful entrepreneurs, business angels and venture capitalists.

They are realising the education and expertise needed to start a business and create jobs often resides outside the walls of the lecture theatre.

Students are finding they can follow traditional prescribed academic courses or pursue an alternative real world education and start a business.

The changes represent a shift in mindset from the traditional parental advice of going to university to get a ‘good’ job.

Increasingly, students feel the need to create their own job rather than look for a job, not least because of the current lack of jobs.

Support for students in the form of mentoring, networking and business incubation programmes is growing, as government redirects resources to those who can create jobs.

Students who previously may have gone into finance or the professions are seeing the possibility of starting their own business as an attractive and achievable career choice.

The change in culture is not happening by chance as it coincides with a shortage of traditional jobs and an increased interest in business.

The fact that advances in technology enables young entrepreneurs to start businesses with relatively little finance and reduced risk is influencing the decisions people make.

A greater awareness of successful entrepreneur role models is having a positive impact, as it helps to make the world of business more attractive and accessible to a greater range of people.

Successful entrepreneurs, big business, government and the current lack of jobs are all playing a part in influencing students to consider alternatives to the traditional career path.

SO, the world is changing and our ability to create a job rather than find a job is becoming increasingly important to us as individuals and to the economy.

What do you think? Can students create jobs? Get in touch we would love to hear your views contact Nick on 028 8224 9494 or via Twitter @nick_oec.