BY RYAN TAYLOR, FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR YOUNG AUSTRALIANS*
The comfort of school will soon be coming to an end for this year’s graduates, with major works and exams around the corner. While school may not seem like the most comforting place during stressful times such as exam week or the night before (or morning of) an assessment, students also need to be prepared for what happens after all the stress of those exams and assessments end.
For some university will be the right choice, while for others, joining the work force is on the cards. Others may do both, taking up an apprenticeship while studying a trade at TAFE. The simple fact is school-leavers won’t be spoon-fed. They’ll be deciding for themselves and will need to be self-motivated in the process.
Motivation & discipline
In many ways school doesn’t adequately teach students about what’s needed for life after school. Life after school is a great chance to follow interests and pursue passions, yet a lack of skills, motivation, discipline, and responsibility for one’s own actions can affect chances of future success.
For university students, not being guided through the whole assignment with a rubric, marking criteria and unlimited teacher access and constant reminders is a huge reality check. Similar scenarios exist in the workplace.
Tips to get organised now
Being self-reliant, motivated and disciplined doesn’t happen overnight. It needs to be practiced and developed over time.
- It may be as simple as keeping a calendar of upcoming events and being better at time management to fit in both after-school activities and work.
- It could be standing by a commitment, instead of bowing out last minute.
- Maybe it’s following through with a long-term goal that could take weeks or months of training, preparation or practice.
Allowing our young people to make more choices for themselves and not solving every problem for them while they’re at school, allows them to build these skills. Letting them take responsibility for their actions or more often their inaction, will put them on the path to becoming a more mature, well-rounded and prepared young adults, ready to take on the world of managing their own decisions and finances.
This is a two-part series on school leavers: Life after school: financial preparation will be online 18 August 2018.
* Ryan Taylor is the founder of Financial Literacy for Young Australians (FLYA). With a passion for education and finance, he aims to inspire others, sharing the knowledge he learned over the past few years of dealing with his own finances.
For more information on Financial Literacy for Young Australians programs and services go to the website.
