Achievement’ American Teens Get Ready For Work a (NAPSA)—American teens are all business when it comes to building careers, but most young people say corporate jobs will have to take a backseat to their interest in science. The findings—published in an annual survey—represent a stark change from years past, when teens ranked “businessperson” as the career they were most interested in. This year the position fell to fifth, behind “engineering or science occupation” and “doctor,” which tied for first place, followed by “entertainer,” “professional athlete” and “teacher.” Jack E. Kosakowski, president of Achievement USA—the organization behind the Achievement “Kids and Careers” poll, now in its ninth year—says the decline in interest in business could be attributed to the wave of corporate layoffs and tough economy. However, he notes, the value of learning business skills will likely never wane. “We know that business—especially small business—is the greatest job creator andis going to be a crucial part of the economic recovery,” he says. “That’s why we run programs like JA Job Shadow to teach sound businessskills and help students become workforce ready, no matter what career path they choose.” The poll, which was funded by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), also found: Planning Ahead Perhaps adjusting to suit the economic climate, 70 percent of teens said they are now working more hours or plan to work more hours to pay for their continuing education. Fifty-seven percent A survey found that 89 percentof teens felt they were well prepared for the workforce. plan to apply to a college or university with low costs. An additional 40 percent have changed career plans, opting for a job that is “more secure.” Work Ready Eighty-nine percent of respondents said they were either “extremely well prepared” or “well prepared”to be successful at a job now or in the future. Additionally, 26 percent indicated that “good social and communication skills and working well with others” were the skills most critical to success as an employee, followed closely by “to be self-motivated” at 23 percent. Learning More Teens can learn more about the work world and build their professional skills by contacting Achievement, the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating young people about work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Visit www.ja.org for more information.
