Abstract: This study intends to answer the question: To what extent can the work ethos and human capital constitute an opportunity for economic development on a national or regional scale? Therefore, the concepts of human capital and related concepts (social capital, intellectual capital, potential labour market) and the concept of human work, the core of which is the work ethos, will be discussed first. Against the background of these analyses two strategies for updating the potentiality, which is human capital of secondary school graduates who want to start their first job, will be presented: (1) a strategy of learning to work according to the principles of a state-sponsored program; (2 )a strategy of developing entrepreneurship in local communities of school-leavers. An effect is expected in the form of added value to economic development in those regions where one or the other strategy will be introduced. Material and methods: not applicable Results: not applicable Conclusions: not applicable