Business lessons for students prepare them for their future

WATCH ABOVE: Junior Achievement teaches financial literacy to Grade 8 students at Sir Ernest MacMillan Senior Public School to prepare them for their future careers.

TORONTO – Junior Achievement of Central Ontario is teaching 13 and 14-year-old students all about financial literacy through their Economics for Success program, in order to prepare students for their future careers.

Jon Taylor is a senior partner at Govan Brown, a national construction firm. He’s a long-time volunteer with Junior Achievement, the world’s largest not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating young people about business.

At Sir Ernest MacMillan Senior Public School, Taylor teaches Grade 8 students the knowledge, skills and attitude needed for career success.

“Economics for success is a program developed by Junior Achievement to provide a day-long…classroom opportunity for students to be introduced to a number of different theories,” said Taylor. “Around very basic business and economics ideas.”

For some students, the program can be a real wake-up call.

“I want to be an aerospace engineer, and Jon taught me…how long it’s going to take me to get stable and get back on my feet and start my life,” said Grade 8 student Sayon Kugananthan.

The program includes activities to reflect the reality of the working world, including the impact of choices around credit and cash.

“The end result really is a rich day of learning,” said Doug McNeill, principal at Sir Ernest MacMillan Senior Public School.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The end result really is a rich day of learning," said Doug McNeill, principal at Sir Ernest MacMillan Senior Public School.

He said students learn what the real-life costs are for living in Toronto.

“TV and stuff can make it seem really easy and like, fantasize it,” said Christina Amirkhanin, a Grade 8 student. She said the program taught her about the challenges of balancing work and expenses. “I guess today was like a reality, and I realized it’s not as easy as it seems.”