Entrepreneurship: Not just an “option”, but a “solution” – by Waheed Joolfoo

When we think of the youth, one word mandatorily pops up: the future. Speeches of politicians or (in a more private sphere) of parents have always been invaded by it. We are all planning our future or/and that of the future generation. This quest also includes the preparation to face eventual problems that may occur and one of these is youth unemployment. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the global youth unemployment rate reached 13,1% in 2016 (as compared to 12,9%) in 2015 and they estimated these numbers to remain unchanged through 2017. So what are the solutions against this plague?

Qualified and jobless

Nowadays there are more and more yougsters coming out of university without being able to find a decent job. Some even call them the “lost generation”: these (very often) highly qualified people with very little hope of finding a job.

Entrepreneurship as a solution?

Can entrepreneurship solve the unemployment crisis? Entrepreneurs play a crucial role in creating jobs and consequently in providing job opportunities for the youth. Adding to that, young people can also move to startups of their own. If entrepreneurship is not the only solution, it can definitely be proposed as a prominent one.

Junior Achievement: Success in a global economy

Junior Achievement is an NGO with the purpose of inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. The programs that the organisation offers are certainly most welcome to arm the youth with tools such as financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship to face the challenges of the real world. Today the organisation is present in over 100 countries and includes over 470,000 volunteers serving more than 10 million students, helping the youth to take their future into their hands by creating their own jobs through entrepreneurship.