Shaping Entrepreneurial Attitudes Among Secondary School Students

Abstract

: Shaping entrepreneurial attitudes is of key importance in the development and education of young people who will soon start their own professional path. That is why it is so important for them to be conscious and active participants in social and economic life. Proper formation of entrepreneurial attitudes will allow them to find themselves in the demanding labour market, increase their self-confidence and multiply their probability of success as an entrepreneur running their own business. The aim of the article is to learn about and assess the entrepreneurial potential of young people and to identify potential barriers and threats that prevent and hinder students from entering the role of entrepreneur. The article is the result of an analysis of the literature on the subject and a survey conducted among students of the last years of Opole secondary schools. The results of the study showed differences in the area of readiness to start their own business depending on the type of school attended (high school, technical secondary school, trade school) and the gender of the respondents. Students appreciate the various types of prac- tical activity that contribute to the development of entrepreneurial attitudes and say that their teachers contribute little to shaping those attitudes. This requires urgent systemic changes and a more flexible approach by educators. Theoretical knowledge should be limited to the necessary minimum, and the practical component of the classes should be significantly strengthened.