One thing that most modern schools have in common-even the highest achieving ones-is that teaching life skills and how to apply classroom-based learning in the real world are often glossed over, or not given any consideration at all in the constant drive to achieve tangible exam-based results.

As a result of this, many intelligent, talented and well-performing children enter the workplace or go off to university somewhat hobbled when it comes to real-world skills and business savvy, putting them at a disadvantage from the get-go. The solution to this lies in carefully targeted education to teach kids to translate their school-based learning, ideas and skills into things that can help them to find work, or set up a business of their own; carefully targeted education like the recently launched Kids MBA.

I set out to find out more about this scheme, and why mums across the country are talking about it. Read on to hear more about what I learnt.

What is Kids MBA?

Put simply, Kids MBA is a teaching project aimed at kids aged 12-15. Designed to complement and enhance pre-school leavers’ education with a real-world taster of the life skills, know-how and aptitude required to run a business or become an entrepreneur, Kids MBA opens up the concept of self-employment and business management to young people from all walks of life. This gives kids a head start when it comes to finding their feet in the “real” working world outside of their school-a world that all teachers know, is becoming ever-more competitive year-on-year, which is why mums and dads of teenaged children are so positive about the Kids MBA programme.

I wanted to find out more so I polled some parents and teachers to find out why this is, and here are the top five reasons given by mums and dads for why they are in favour of the Kids MBA being brought into more schools.

1. More and more job opportunities today are self-employed

Self-employment in the UK is at its highest rate for over 40 years, while the marketplace for employed roles is more competitive today than it has ever been, with hundreds of applicants competing for many entry-level vacancies. Kids MBA helps to provide young people with not only the essential life skills to become self-employed or start a business, but mums and schools also tell us that Kids MBA helps to introduce theseoptionsto kids in the first place, providing them with additional opportunities and a better chance of successwhen they leave school.

2. Introducing the concept of business early on means no missed opportunities

Kids MBA getskids comfortable with the concept of harnessing their skills and ideas to make a living or become an entrepreneur is something that is largely overlooked in many schools’ education curriculums. Kids MBA brings this concept home to young people, encouraging them to use the skills and knowledge learnt during the course to explore options that they might otherwise have passed on by!

3. Kids learn real-world skills

Kids MBA introduces young people to important life skills such as budgeting, business writing and accounting. All of this helps kids to combine skills learned in the classroom education with real-world applications, enhancing both their abilities in core areas and their appreciation of why the topics that they learn in school will be important later on in life. This can help to improve lesson interaction, and even boost grades, as feedback from both teachers and parents has confirmed!

4. Kids MBA can enhance kids’ profiles for universities

All teachers know that for kids that wish to go off to university before entering the workplace, having a strong portfolio of extracurricular activities and skills is just as important as academic achievements when it comes to competing for the best places. Kids MBA can help to enhance and strengthen young people’s university CV, and give them an edge when it comes to their college admissions.

5. Kids MBA boosts confidence

Finally, Kids MBA gives young people who might be well suited to starting their own business or life as an entrepreneur the confidence to consider alternative options to beginning their working life making money for someone else, which can really boost young people’s confidence. Kids MBA mums often tell us about the marked increase in their kids’ confidence and prospects, which remain valuable long after they have completed the course and left school-based education!