About this event

The 9th talk in the APS Business talks series, Entrepreneurship starts young: Empowering the next generation with life skills, is presented by Matthew Caruana, CEO of JA Malta, who draws on his personal journey from a student to practitioner working at the intersection of entrepreneurship and youth development. He explains how entrepreneurship education differs from traditional business studies, shifting the focus from technical knowledge to mindset development. The talk highlights the value of learning by doing through student organisations, enterprise programmes, and real-world challenges, which help individuals build confidence, resilience, and transferable life skills. The talk explores why entrepreneurship education is critical in a rapidly changing world, where future jobs are uncertain and continuous adaptation is essential. He also outlines the benefits for businesses, with a strong call for earlier and more practical entrepreneurship education.
Watch the full recording

Speaker

Matthew Caruana - CEO of JA Malta

Matthew Caruana is the CEO of Junior Achievement (JA) Malta and Chair of the Board of Executives of JA Europe, leading initiatives that equip young people with the skills and mindset for entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness. With a background spanning corporates and start-ups in Malta and the UK, he has worked across product, project and consultancy roles, and previously founded a Maltese crowdfunding platform. Matthew regularly mentors and supports early-stage founders and students, and he is also a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Malta. He is a strong advocate of experiential learning as a practical way to build confidence, employability and long-term financial capability.