Helping Young People Succeed

Helping Young People Succeed

During a time when the economy is changing rapidly and shifting the landscape of work into uncertain territory, academic success is no longer enough to put young people on a stable path to the future. Once, a high school diploma was enough to land a well-paying job. Then a college degree became the gold standard. Now the roadmap has changed again, which means smart students need to start taking steps in new directions.

According to Junior Achievement, three key concepts to add to modern teenagers’ knowledge arsenal include financial literacy, economic mobility and entrepreneurship.

When young people are equipped with the knowledge they need to earn, manage, save and invest money, it supports their journey through every life milestone ahead, from education and homeownership to retirement and more. Financial literacy gives people the confidence to make smart decisions while avoiding costly mistakes like getting into high-interest debt.

A recent Junior Achievement survey indicated that although 42% of Americans struggle with money management, 23% feel their income could be sufficient if they understood how to manage it more effectively. Giving students a strong foundation in financial literacy can set them up not only to earn money but use it wisely to meet future needs and accomplish their goals.

Economic mobility refers to the idea that each generation can expect better opportunities and more financial stability than the one before. Today’s youth are growing increasingly skeptical of this possibility, especially as many college graduates remain underemployed and struggle to find their feet.

There’s no denying the game has changed. However, upward economic mobility is still within reach for students willing to learn the new rules, especially with support from parents and educators. With or without a college degree, students who engage with their communities, believe in their own potential and build transferable personal and entrepreneurial skills can be well-positioned to navigate a changing world.

Topics like financial literacy and business acumen can be taught in and out of the classroom. Other entrepreneurial skills—leadership, confidence, work ethic, creativity and critical thinking—are like muscles that get stronger when trained.

Programs like Future Bound by Junior Achievement give high school students hands-on opportunities to innovate, compete, network with industry leaders and build real-world business and economic skills. Students, parents, educators and volunteers can explore more resources at JA.org.