There are always new opportunities business and school institutions can get involved in to inspire, teach, mentor, and coach our future leaders of tomorrow. Schools should add leadership/business classes or extracurricular clubs to their mandatory core curriculum to help students build confidence in the workplace with knowledge of various industries and analytical thinking. These types of classes will also help students discover what they love to do the most and give them a direction to pursue.
Mandatory classes can involve trips to different companies and organizations or feature guest speakers to introduce career choices and training. Advanced mathematics will also facilitate logical and analytical problem solving skills for business. When I was in middle school in Taiwan, we used an abacus, which helped me do mathematical problems quickly in my head. Now as a CEO, that has helped me work more efficiently and logical when making business decisions. No matter what course of study or profession, advanced techniques help students be skillful in college and their careers.
There are many existing clubs and groups that help students prepare for their future. For example, the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts bring out children’s talents and creativity. If more students could be encouraged to be in these groups there would be less kids on the street after school and the learning process can stretch even after the school day is over. Growing up, I learned the importance of helping others in an after-school program where we helped those with special needs. Teachers can help by being involved in clubs and getting more students to sign up. Being part of a team or group will make children feel more meaningful while they have fun with friends. Even having a cookie sale to raise money for a special organization teaches children how to set up events, sales techniques to raise money, and think creatively toward promoting a specific initiative.
As a dedicated supporter of enriching children’s lives, my company has created a special program for the Girl Scouts. We take a group of girls on a tour of our headquarters and teach them about the fundamentals of business and roles of a CEO. The two-day program concludes with a group project where the girls can create their own products. If more businesses can be involved in education and supporting their future workforce, then students can be even more prepared.
