JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT Teens Today Value Making A Difference More Than Money

(NAPSI)-Two good things about America's youth and America's economy were discovered by a recent poll conducted by Junior Achievement and ING. The first is that despite tough times, 90 percent of teens are confident they'll get their ideal job. The second is that 84 percent said they'd forgo getting that perfect job for the opportunity to make a difference in the world. Nevertheless, about a third of teens responding to the Junior Achievement-ING Kids and Careers Poll are more worried now about their future job prospects compared to a year ago. Of those teens who said they were more worried now about their job prospects, 64 percent said they were anxious about the economy, and over half cited the unemployment rate as the most troubling issue. "Teens' optimism and energy are inspiring," said Jack E. Kosakowski, president of Junior Achievement USA. "Teens want to channel this energy and invest in their futures. Junior Achievement programs help kids reach their goals by providing positive career role models and the tools to be successful in the workplace, such as leadership and teamwork skills." Rhonda Mims, president of the ING Foundation, added, "From an employer's perspective, programs such as JA Job Shadow are key to a well-prepared workforce; they provide a multifaceted approach to teaching career skills. Job Shadowing gives students the tools to build a successful career, such as critical thinking and leadership skills. It also provides important positive role models in the classroom, volunteers who deliver the curriculum and the mentors whom the students shadow in the workplace." When asked what their schools could do to better prepare them for the workplace, teens said: • A better understanding of the relevance of what they learn at school to the real world (87 percent); • Real-world experiences, such as job shadowing (85 percent); • More programs preparing them to be successful in the workplace (83 percent); • Career counseling (79 percent). Junior Achievement, the world's largest organization dedicated to educating young people about work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy, provides in-school and after-school programs for students. More information about Job Shadow is available at www.ja.org/programs/programs_job_shadow.shtml. For more on the organization or foundation, visit www.ja.org or www.ing-usafoundation.com.

When asked what their schools could do to better prepare them for the workplace, most teens asked for more career counseling. Word Count: 388 Copy/Paste HTML Article