Make the time, take the lead and give back

YOUNG IRELAND: Education, technology and entrepreneurship are the ways forward write CIARAN MCGUINNESS and NEASA CUNNIFFE 

THE IRISH love nothing better than a good moan and too often we indulge ourselves in self-pity and self-doubt.

Now is the time for optimism. Now is the time to take action. Ireland's way out of this mess can be summed up in three words: education, entrepreneurship and technology.

There is a well-known idea in education circles that says we need to educate our youth for jobs that don't yet exist. We need to arm them with the flexible competencies required to solve future problems that we haven't yet defined.

All the industry trends point to the fact that the workplace of the future will be an increasingly collaborative and socially driven eco-system. Yet the school system we have in place is orientated towards developing the skills needed for 19th- and 20th-century employees, geared towards individual task completion and extrinsically rewarded work.

Tomorrow's workplace depends on lateral thinking, innovation and intrinsically motivated employees. Many teachers and principals are acutely aware of this fact and are doing their utmost to adapt and progress. However, they are fighting for change in a system that is under-resourced and slow to react. The pitfalls are clear when we look to other countries.

The US, once a beacon for third-level access, is now falling behind, while countries such as Japan are stealing a march on academic achievement. Investment in education created the stimulus for the Celtic Tiger. If we want to give Ireland a real chance of success, we need to sow the seeds.

One simple idea we could borrow from leaders in modern business is affordable and quick to implement. Large organisations such as Google use motivational techniques aimed at tapping into their employees' intrinsic motivation. Instead of rewarding them with more money or benefits, they allow their staff to take 10-20 per cent of their working time to explore topics that interest them.

We should add 10-20 per cent more time on to the school week and give our children a similar 10-20 per cent of time to use for non-curriculum projects and activities, on themes and topics chosen themselves. A slightly longer school week for a more rewarding learning experience. While it's clear there are basics in education that need to be taught as well, it is imperative that we move towards a model that aims to foster a real interest in learning and working.

There are already models here in Ireland that are exploring new techniques and best practice, through after-school clubs, extra-curricular school programmes and even via the odd industry-led government initiative. What we need now is investment.

There is an incomparable need for better IT support and technology infrastructure, contextual content, access to information at home, along with even more joined-up thinking across the bodies and sector. This is not a luxury - it is critical.

The second solution to solving Ireland's problems is entrepreneurship. We need to foster a culture that makes starting your own business an option considered by everyone.

The only way to create these aspirations is through example. Here is an opportunity to set up a third-level mentoring programme that would touch more people than ever before. All those involved in local business or large corporations can give the gift of time to our third-level institutions, providing free lectures, free support and free guidance.

And why stop at third level? These same leaders should also be mentoring at second level, structuring that 10-20 per cent interest-based learning we have suggested. This would take the strain off already burdened teachers while also providing invaluable industry expertise.

Wisdom also needs to be shared on a one-to-one basis. We'd like to see every person in Irish society supporting these initiatives - but those who have benefited most in life have a particular duty.

We're calling you out now: any Irish person with a net worth of over €1 million should have at least one individual, if not several, outside of your family and friends who calls you their mentor. If you are a success of the Celtic Tiger, you need to give back. If you are a captain of commerce or a self-made mogul, you need to give back.

Make the time, take the lead and give back.

Finally, to technology. Ireland has made inroads over the last decade to becoming the e-commerce hub of Europe. This is endorsed by the fact so many of the leading internet and technology companies have established a presence here. While we may have priced ourselves out of the market in some technology fields, it's safe to say we're still punching above our weight.

We have never before been so unfettered by our geography as a small island on the edge of Europe. Freed from the constraints of market access, there has never been a wider realm of opportunity to compete, with literally billions of potential customers on our virtual doorstep.

We may need to shift focus away from the lower end of the manufacturing scale and towards the higher end of creating intellectual assets and managing projects.

The first stirrings of a new social ecosystem driven by geolocation, social networking, hyperlocal news-gathering and real-time local search offer untold potential. We can be part of it.

Our survival depends on education, entrepreneurship and technology. Let's start straight away.

Ciaran McGuinness (28) is an inner city community worker in Dublin's Liberties area and a businessman. He is manager of the Computer Clubhouse, a place for young people, and works also in schools, encouraging young people in education to engage with computer technology. Neasa Cunniffe (27) works as consumer and media insight director with Omnicom Media Group

Tomorrow: Shane McLoughlin of Opes Wealth Trust

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