Greg Galant, author of one of my new favorite blogs, Venture Voice, recounts a story about speaking to a 4th grade class about business and entrepreneurship.
They didn't know what an entrepreneur was.
I am a product of the Florida Public Education System and let me tell you...
Unless you have an entrepreneur in your family or get exposed elsewhere, there is no way entrepreneurship as a career choice would even cross your radar screen throughout your education.
The public school system exists primarily to crank out middle class citizens to fuel the economy in two ways:
1) to be employees, and
2) to consume products and services
Out of the many aptitude and career counseling exams I took in middle and high school, and out of all the meetings with my guidance counselors, not once did I hear the words, "Your test results indicate that you are well suited for entrepreneurship."
Now, as an adult, I recognize the personality traits, aptitudes and characteristics that I share with my fellow entrepreneurs.
Had I never happened upon the opportunity to be self-employed, who knows how long it would have taken me to find my calling in entrepreneurship.
It is a disservice to our country and its economy to not offer exposure to entrepreneurship in the public school system during the career counseling process.
Entrepreneurship can be taught to some extent (e.g. in graduate school). The classes give you a taste of it... which helps you discover if you have a flair for it...
Posted by: Vladimir Orlt | May 17, 2006 9:57 PM | Permalink to Comment