Survey: 60% of Teens Would Prefer to Start a Business Over Having a Traditional Job

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 3 in 5 American teens (60%) would be more interested in starting their own business than having a traditional job, according to a new survey by Junior Achievement USA. While nearly 2 in 5 teens (37%) who are interested in starting their own business cite social media influencers/celebrities as their top inspiration, nearly half of teens (45%) feel it's most beneficial to hear about starting their own business from business owners. Additionally, nearly 2 in 5 teens (37%) would be interested in programs in-school or after-school that focus on teaching entrepreneurship.

To help address this interest, Junior Achievement USA, with the support of The Hartford, is launching the JA Company Program—Pop-Up^®. The program is an accelerated version of Junior Achievement's experiential high school entrepreneurship program, the JA Company Program. Since 2014, The Hartford has been dedicated to supporting the JA Company Program, which empowers high school students to fill a need or solve a problem in their community. The new Pop-Up model teaches middle and high school students how to plan, launch, and operate their own pop-up business venture in only seven sessions of a facilitator-led experience involving educators and local business leaders.

"These survey results show that teens are more interested than ever in starting a business," said Jack E. Kosakowski, President & CEO of Junior Achievement USA. "Even more encouraging is that many realize insights from entrepreneurs and education can play a role in better preparing them for a career in entrepreneurship. That's why we are proud to partner with The Hartford on this new initiative."

To learn more about JA Company Program—Pop-Up^®, or other Junior Achievement initiatives, visit www.JA.org.

Methodology
The Junior Achievement Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 U.S. teens ages 13-17 between December 16th and December 22nd, 2021, using an email invitation and an online survey. Data was weighted to ensure a reliable and accurate representation of U.S. teens ages 13-17.

Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

About Junior Achievement USA^® (JA)
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches more than 2.5 million students per year in 103 markets across the United States, as part of 10 million students served by operations in 100 other countries worldwide. Junior Achievement USA is a member of JA Worldwide. Visit www.ja.org for more information.

About The Hartford
The Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds. With more than 200 years of expertise, The Hartford is widely recognized for its service excellence, sustainability practices, trust and integrity. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at https://www.thehartford.com. Follow us on Twitter at @TheHartford_PR.

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. For additional details, please read The Hartford's legal notice.

SOURCE Junior Achievement USA