Business is Good for Young People: my take out for MBAs

Nick Maher (Chief Executive, Industry and Parliament Trust) opened the IPT and the British Chamber of Commerce's reception on the 4th December in London, jokingly with how delighted he was seeing so many young-looking faces in the audience -- something rarely seen at the House of Commons. True enough, I saw several students in their school uniforms roaming around the room. 

The event was titled in line with the campaign 'Business is Good for Britain', "Business is Good for Young People". An eye-opener for me, I was glad to be in the event and able to hear more about new initiatives surrounding the businesses and trades in the country. One of the things I found relevant with my current status as a student was that the government seems to realize how education and business go together and how new policies are designed along that.

A lady was speaking on behalf of employers on her company's efforts in providing jobs for young people and support them in finding suitable employment.  A smallish painting and decorating company, it was supporting an initial of 22 apprentices which then grew to a hundred of them.  She was astonished and encouraged to see how capable these young people were as they came to her company already with certificates and qualifications, yet they were unemployed. 

The Chamber realizes its strategic position in encouraging employers to look at this situation and to provide employment opportunities for more young people.  Improvements in English and Mathematic subjects are apparently being done to ensure that these young people are academically equipped in those two important academic subjects for an employment here. Not only certification or academic qualification, I agree with Jo Swinson MP (Minister for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Women and Equalities Minister in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport) that employers require 'the right attitude' from potential hires, from being reliable at work, to coming on time to work or simply the willingness to show up at work while you don't feel like it as you wake up in the morning. 

Young MBAs
We may lament over the seemingly childish behavior of some 24 or 25 years old lads.  But I think being young does not mean one is incapable, or less capable, in being a good worker. On the other hand, we do know that maturity does not always come with older age anyway.  I believe such positive attitude mentioned by the minister applies to MBAs too -- our academic qualification/certificate is not everything.  Regardless of age, our quality of work as MBA students (and as an effective leader) is very much determined more by our attitude and approach towards responsibility, towards what respecting other people, authority and agreed deadlines mean.  And how we need self-awareness skill that could help us to maintain our constant commitment to those positive attitudes, if not making them better.