In today's rapidly evolving job market, many young people struggle to find career paths that align with their passions and skills. Traditional education systems often focus on academic knowledge while neglecting the development of entrepreneurial competencies and self-awareness. As a result, many young people enter the workforce feeling unprepared, lacking confidence and without a clear direction. Entrepreneurship provides a powerful pathway for youth to turn their passions into sustainable career opportunities. However, young people across Europe face barriers such as limited access to entrepreneurial education, a lack of mentorship, and insufficient opportunities to develop practical business skills. By addressing these challenges, this project aimed to empower young people with the tools and confidence needed to transform their interests into viable professional endeavors. In Lithuania, many young people struggle with career orientation, especially in rural areas where job opportunities are limited. Entrepreneurship is increasingly promoted as a solution to youth unemployment, but many lack the necessary knowledge and skills to start their own businesses. Additionally, Lithuania has a growing startup culture, yet young people often lack exposure to successful entrepreneurial role models. Our partners from Poland LEVEL UP work extensively with youth from diverse social and economic backgrounds, including those facing fewer opportunities. Many young people in Poland find it challenging to identify career paths aligned with their interests and struggle with financial independence. However, Poland is developing in terms of using entrepreneurship opportunities – Poland has a significant number of young entrepreneurs participating in international exchange programs, with 693 new entrepreneurs recorded (https://www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu/press/2024-09_EYE_statistics_66e40a5a93a0c.pdf). Greece has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the EU, making entrepreneurship a critical alternative for young job seekers. However, young Greeks often lack access to practical business education and financial literacy training. What is more, Greece is at the top among the EU countries with highest youth unemployment rates, especially during economic downturns (https://www.oecd.org/en/data/indicators/youth-unemployment-rate.html). Italy has a strong entrepreneurial culture, yet young people often face structural barriers such as bureaucratic challenges, high business taxation, and limited access to startup funding. Comitato d’Intesa, our Italian partner, aims to equip young people with the mindset and skills to overcome these obstacles and actively participate in youth policy discussions and initiatives. Additionally, Italy also demonstrates high numbers in youth unemployment (although a bit lower than Greece). In Romania, many young people face challenges in transitioning from education to employment. While there is growing interest in entrepreneurship, many lack the confidence, skills and access to resources to start their own businesses. In 2023, Romania had a NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) rate exceeding 19%, indicating a high proportion of young people disengaged from both work and education (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11761609) which shows non-decreasing need of Romania's youngsters to be educated and actively involved in such entrepreneurial initiatives. After identifying these challenges through discussions with our partners and conducting a thorough needs analysis, it became evident that many young people across Lithuania, Poland, Greece, Italy, and Romania face significant barriers in turning their passions into sustainable career opportunities. Through focus group discussions with young people in our and partner organizations, we observed a strong desire to explore entrepreneurship as a viable career path. Recognizing these common challenges and the potential among young people, we decided to initiate the youth exchange project "From passion to profession". This project aimed to equip young participants with the mindset, skills and tools necessary to transform their passions into professional opportunities. By fostering a supportive, practical learning environment, the project empowered participants to gain entrepreneurial competencies, boosted their self-confidence and developed leadership skills – ultimately helping them to take steps toward building their future careers. Project objectives: 1. Empower 30 youngsters to identify their passions and explore career paths that align with their skills and interests by the end of the project. 2. Develop entrepreneurial skills of 30 young participants by providing hands-on experience in business planning, digital marketing, financial literacy and networking. 3. Boost self-confidence and leadership among 30 young participants and their local communities to encourage initiative taking and innovative thinking.