The entrepreneurial spark is burning bright among Australia’s youth, with nearly half of all secondary students saying they want to become their own boss after school, new data shows.
Despite this enthusiasm, entrepreneurial education is only offered in about one in 10 Australian schools – a gap that experts say needs urgent attention.
The latest NAB survey, which polled hundreds of students across public, Catholic and independent schools nationwide, found 47% of secondary students want to start their own business after finishing school. That’s a sharp rise from 35% in 2023.
The findings also reveal some clear trends. Students at private, Catholic and independent schools were slightly more likely to express interest in starting a business (49%) than those in public schools (45%).
At boys-only schools, interest peaked at 50%, compared to 35% at girls-only schools. Overall, 52% of boys said they’d like to run their own business, while 41% of girls said the same.
Among students who identified as LGBTQI+, interest in entrepreneurship was lower, at 38%, compared to 48% among those who did not.
Interest also varied by year level—from 41% in Years 7–9 to 49% in Years 10 and 11.
“It’s fantastic to see the entrepreneurial spirit that we see all the time in business owners reflected in the next generation of Australian school graduates,” NAB Executive Business Metro and Specialised, Julie Rynski, said.
“Having a go has long been part of the Australian ethos driving the engine room of our economy, and I’m very happy to see that ambition shining through in these results.”
Rynski noted that while economic cycles come and go, entrepreneurship is a constant force driven by curiosity, courage and the desire to create something meaningful.
“It’s always a good time to start a business – to have a go at building something of your own. That’s the essence of entrepreneurship and I see that in NAB’s business customers every day,” she said.
French-trained pâtissier, restaurant owner and young entrepreneur, Morgan Hipworth, is an example of the next generation of business owners in Australia with the drive and hustle necessary to have a go at starting a business—with startling success.
Hipworth began his culinary journey at age 15 and in less than a decade he has founded both Bistro Morgan and his Mediterranean restaurant Maven by Morgan.
“For me, it was always about passion and a dream rather than just starting a business. I never saw it as just a job, it was about creating something I loved and sharing it with people. Now, I think more young Aussies are realising that what they dream is actually possible,” he said.
Deputy Headmaster of Brighton Grammar School, Dr Ray Swann, who also leads the school’s education research centre, said the optimism reflected in NAB’s research correlated with what the school is also seeing amongst today’s students.
“The NAB research aligns with our own findings that young people hold hope and optimism for the future,” he said.
“Part of our role, as schools, is to ensure that hope is only strengthened through learning environments that provide the balance between challenge and support.”