Schools should play a more significant role to increase the numbers of children who become entrepreneurs as adults, according to the Forum of Private Business. Schools are ultimately responsible for encouraging ambition in school children. The head of campaigns for FPB, Jane Bennett said:

“They have a vital role to play in encouraging entrepreneurial spirit, which is why we are calling for a greater focus by government on making sure schools are given the tools for the job. That includes a more appropriate curriculum and closer collaboration between schools and local business.”

The FPB believes that pupils should be provided with more work experience, ideally with smaller companies who are more likely to have a member of staff who is experienced and is prepared to spend time providing information that will be useful in the future. Very often, according to FPB, pupils spend a week of work experience in the post room when working for a large corporation.

The FPB is also supportive of the National Insurance Contributions Holiday scheme which offers a break from NICs for new employees in the first year. However, FPB also acknowledge that businesses rarely employ a huge workforce in their first year, so wouldn’t maximise benefits of the tax break. The business forum states that the difficulties accessing credit will continue to be a problem well into the New Year, with a number of businesses declaring lack of access to finance the largest barrier to growth and success.

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About The Author

Kara Copple

An experienced business and finance writer, sometimes moonlighting as a fiction writer and blogger.

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