Educating tomorrow's business owners.

• Author: Veltkamp, Ronald J.

U.S. News & World Report in its November 1993 issue published the "1994 Career Guide." The magazine's cover touted the "Best Jobs for the Future." However, as I read the articles about the hottest jobs and professions for young people today, I was struck by the lack of any mention of small business ownership.

Unfortunately, in today's society, young people are often overlooked when entrepreneurship is discussed. Many believe that starting and operating a small business is an event tied to adult life. With few exceptions, educational institutions seem to prefer to prepare their students for careers as employees rather than as business owners.

Yes, there are exceptions. Junior Achievement and the International Trade Program at the King Career Center in Anchorage are among them. Programs such as these prepare our youth for careers in business, including business ownership. In addition, the University of Alaska Small Business Development Centers in Anchorage, Fairbanks, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and Juneau provide a multitude of training seminars and workshops to encourage entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship education is a life-long learning process. The experiences, skills and attitudes necessary for successful small business development are not learned at any one place or time. In fact, the earlier young people can begin to learn such skills, the more likely they are to be successful as business owners. No one program could have greater potential effect on our long-term economic growth and international trade platform than increased exposure of our youth to entrepreneurial education.

The future of our great nation depends on the physical, emotional and intellectual development of our young people. It is, therefore, imperative that we as a nation develop mechanisms and avenues that will provide opportunities for all American youth to develop into strong...