Keen Teens Blaze The Trail

We all need to encourage young people to consider starting their own business.

- Heidi Armstrong

Choosing a career is one of the most difficult and stressful decisions a young adult can face. At the ripe old age of 17 we expect teenagers to know what they want from life and to make choices that will impact their future and finances.

But the problem with this is that the options available to teenagers are usually limited to tertiary or TAFE education. So what if your passion sits outside a traditional course or job offering?

As a young adult I faced these same dilemmas but, unlike so many others, my father encouraged me to consider running my own business as a career option.

Now while his idea that I open my own knitting shop (those who know me are laughing out loud right now!) wasn’t my cup of tea, it did open my eyes to the possibilities. I’ve no doubt that my own drive to be self-employed stemmed from this open conversation with my dad back when I was just a teenager.

It’s no longer necessary for young adults to limit themselves to traditional job or study avenues. In the past, it was widely believed that university study was the safest and best option for career advancement. This is not always the case.