Youth and craftsmanship
There is a future for manufacturing, even for small-scale manufacturing, particularly when it’s young people leading the way, revelling in being entrepreneurs and in that special spirit that drives any enterprise worthy of its name. To that end, some encouraging ideas have recently come out of a study by Censis and Confartigianato regarding the approach of young people towards small-scale manufacturing. Recently presented in Rome, “Giovani, artigianato, scuola” (Youth, craftsmanship, school) is an important work that helps better understand the potential future of a sector of fundamental importance for Italy’s economy as a whole and one in which entrepreneurs can find new outlets for their creativity.
But perhaps what is of greatest importance is the approach that young people are showing towards the entrepreneur as a positive force in the economy and, above all, as a person of talent (as defined by 53% of those surveyed) who knows how to take risks (over 45% of those surveyed). For 38% of young people interviewed, the entrepreneur is someone who has lots of financial resources, as well as talent, ability and a spirit of initiative, traits that prevailed over other more negative or random aspects such as: luck (15%), a lack of scruples (7%), and taking advantage of the work of others (6%). Of those surveyed, 11% have a highly positive view of the entrepreneur, seeing the role as an individual who creates wealth for society as a whole, and if it’s true that the essence of manufacturing lies in the creativity and the drive to create, this study has other important numbers to offer. On the one hand, 80% of the young people surveyed are excited about the world of small-scale manufacturing; however, less than 18% expressed an interest in starting their own business, and 28% feel that striking out on their own is too risky. For many, their future lies elsewhere, not in small-scale manufacturing.
Certain accusations have been directed at schools. When asked to assess the usefulness of their education in entering the job market, only 44% of the students surveyed expressed a positive opinion. The majority was particularly critical of the lack of specialisation in their education and of its inadequacy in terms of the real needs of the job market.
But the key point is that their remains a certain focus on manufacturing – and on small-scale manufacturing in particular – and on entrepreneurship and on that special spirit that drives in forward even in the challenging times of this digital age. The Censis study is a work that everyone should read very carefully.
Giovani, artigianato, scuola
CENSIS
May 2014
There is a future for manufacturing, even for small-scale manufacturing, particularly when it’s young people leading the way, revelling in being entrepreneurs and in that special spirit that drives any enterprise worthy of its name. To that end, some encouraging ideas have recently come out of a study by Censis and Confartigianato regarding the approach of young people towards small-scale manufacturing. Recently presented in Rome, “Giovani, artigianato, scuola” (Youth, craftsmanship, school) is an important work that helps better understand the potential future of a sector of fundamental importance for Italy’s economy as a whole and one in which entrepreneurs can find new outlets for their creativity.
But perhaps what is of greatest importance is the approach that young people are showing towards the entrepreneur as a positive force in the economy and, above all, as a person of talent (as defined by 53% of those surveyed) who knows how to take risks (over 45% of those surveyed). For 38% of young people interviewed, the entrepreneur is someone who has lots of financial resources, as well as talent, ability and a spirit of initiative, traits that prevailed over other more negative or random aspects such as: luck (15%), a lack of scruples (7%), and taking advantage of the work of others (6%). Of those surveyed, 11% have a highly positive view of the entrepreneur, seeing the role as an individual who creates wealth for society as a whole, and if it’s true that the essence of manufacturing lies in the creativity and the drive to create, this study has other important numbers to offer. On the one hand, 80% of the young people surveyed are excited about the world of small-scale manufacturing; however, less than 18% expressed an interest in starting their own business, and 28% feel that striking out on their own is too risky. For many, their future lies elsewhere, not in small-scale manufacturing.
Certain accusations have been directed at schools. When asked to assess the usefulness of their education in entering the job market, only 44% of the students surveyed expressed a positive opinion. The majority was particularly critical of the lack of specialisation in their education and of its inadequacy in terms of the real needs of the job market.
But the key point is that their remains a certain focus on manufacturing – and on small-scale manufacturing in particular – and on entrepreneurship and on that special spirit that drives in forward even in the challenging times of this digital age. The Censis study is a work that everyone should read very carefully.
Giovani, artigianato, scuola
CENSIS
May 2014