Entrepreneurial skills required of vocational and technical education graduates for small scale enterprise operation in an economy under recession

Sunny Nwakanma1*, Anigbogu Veronica Uchechukwu2 and Chiemeke Michael Ayaegbunem3

1Department of Technical Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rivers State

2Department of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Lagos, Lagos State

3Department of Technology and vocational Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Anambra State

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the entrepreneurial skills required of Vocational and Technical Education graduates for small scale enterprise operation in Rivers State. Three research questions guided the study and one null hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. A descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The population consisted of 760 small scale entrepreneurs in Rivers State and a sample size of 228 entrepreneurs was selected through the proportionate random sampling technique. A 27-item structured questionnaire titled Entrepreneurial Skills and SmallScale Enterprises Operation Questionnaire (ESSSEOQ) was used for the Study. The instrument was validated by three experts. Cronbach’s Alpha method was used to establish the reliability of the instrument in a pilot test, which yielded a reliability co-efficient of 0.78 which indicates that the instrument was reliable for the study. Data related to the research questions were analyzed using mean and standard deviation while ANOVA statistic was used to test the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance Findings from the study revealed that VTE graduates in Rivers State require managerial, marketing and cost control skills for successful operation of smallscale enterprises to a high extent. The findings also revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean responses of respondents on the managerial skills required by VTE graduates for small scale enterprise operation in Rivers State on the basis of years of experience. The study concluded that entrepreneurial skills are more importantly required for successful operation of small-scale enterprises by both practicing and potential entrepreneurs in view of the current economic recession in the country. The study recommended that government through curriculum planners and developers should review curriculum of VTE in institutions to include relevant entrepreneurial skills to be learned by the students. The study also recommended that the government and administrators of VTE programmes should partner with small scale entrepreneurs to organize training programmes that will help equip VTE graduates with the requisite entrepreneurial skills. This can be done through the organization of conferences, seminars and workshops.

Keywords

entrepreneurship skills; vocational and technical education; small scale enterprises; economic recession.

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