About JA :: What's New

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
November 17, 2008

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT POLL: FEWER TEENS INTERESTED IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

National poll also reveals teens believe unemployment and recession are greatest challenges facing U.S. economy.

Colorado Springs, Colo. - In its seventh annual "Teens and Entrepreneurship" poll, Junior Achievement has found that 13-18 year olds are less interested in starting their own businesses than they were a year ago. In 2007, 67 percent of teens indicated an interest in entrepreneurship; in 2008 that number declined to 60 percent-perhaps as a result of the stagnating economy.

Teens cited "unemployment," "possibility of recession," and "the federal budget deficit" as the top three threats to the U.S. economy. But in a show of optimism, more than half (53 percent) predicted they would be better off financially than their parents.

With the national unemployment rate at 6.5 percent, independent-minded teens who were interested in starting a business cited "earn more money" and "I don't want to work for someone else" as the top reasons why they would be interested in starting a business.

The release of the poll results coincides with Global Entrepreneurship Week, an effort to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit of young people everywhere (www.unleashingideas.org).

Jack E. Kosakowski, president of Junior Achievement USA, noted, "Small businesses are the engine of the American economy. We feel it is important to teach young people entrepreneurial skills so that they understand the risks and potential rewards of business ownership and can make informed decisions about whether business ownership is right for them. Junior Achievement programs help young people learn the skills and business basics to start and grow a successful enterprise that generates jobs and strengthens communities."

The poll was taken online by 712 teens in February and March 2008, prior to the recent economic crisis, but concurrent with the fallout from the sub-prime mortgage crisis and tightening credit by financial institutions.

About JA Worldwide® (Junior Achievement)
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement provides in-school and after-school programs for students which focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Today, 138 individual area operations reach more than four million students in the United States, with an additional five million students served by operations in 120 other countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.ja.org.

-30-