Americans no longer perceive that their schools and universities are training them to become entrepreneurs the way they did only a few years ago. Between 2009 and 2012, the percentage of Americans who believe that their education made them more interested in becoming an entrepreneur; helped them to develop an entrepreneurial attitude; improved their understanding of the role of entrepreneurs in society; and gave them the skills needed to open a business, has dropped substantially, a survey by TNS Custom Research reveals.
While society innovates, our K-12 schools have remained stagnant. As a result, they are not graduating the doers, makers and cutting-edge thinkers the world needs. Certainly, some public and private schools are modernizing — having students work in groups to solve problems, learn online and integrate science with the arts. But most institutions do not teach what should be the centerpiece of a contemporary education: entrepreneurship, the capacity to not only start companies but also to think creatively and ambitiously.
Entrepreneurship is recognised as a key element in economic growth and job creation. Moreover, as a wider set of attitudes and approaches to problems, it is seen as crucial to innovation beyond business – in government, the social sector, and across society. Increasingly, therefore, governments are seeking ways to promote entrepreneurship, including through education systems.