The Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on Undergraduate Carrer Development

Chapter One of The Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on Undergraduate Carrer Development

 

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The concept of Entrepreneurship education is centered on the training and acquisition of skills and knowledge which leads to the identification of new business opportunity. Entrepreneurship education leads to the realization of new business opportunities.  The primary type of entrepreneurship is the starting of a new business. Consequently, many undergraduate entrepreneurship education programs focus entrepreneurship education on the identification and starting of new businesses. However, some institution in the UK Higher Education system focuses entrepreneurship education program to distinguish between creativity and innovation, which is considered as a requirement for new venture development.  Enterprise is the conversion of new ideas and opportunities into a business venture and entrepreneurship is defined as the development of skills for the starting and running of a new business. The teaching of entrepreneurial education is to foster the development of these skills in undergraduates of higher institutions. Consequently, entrepreneurial education constitutes one fundamental course programs in many higher institutions. The UK Higher Education sets Quality Assurance standard for the teaching of entrepreneurial education programs so as to achieve the learning outcomes of the program. The European Commission embarks on teacher development for the teaching of entrepreneurial education and provides the requirement for the evaluation of the program. They outline the requirement for the development of skills and competencies for entrepreneurship. A more practical approach isthe application of the action-based entrepreneurship education programs which also referred to as venture creation programs (VCP). Under this programthe students are led to start new businesses as an integral part of the learning process. This new startups business is allowed to run for a period of two years. Another approach to entrepreneurial education is to   promote innovation or the introduction of new products or services or markets in existing firms. This is refered to as approach is called corporate entrepreneurship or Intrapreneurship. The study seeks to appraise the impact of entrepreneurial education on undergraduate career development.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The high level of unemployment couple with the increasing rate of graduate turnover in higher institution prescipate the need for the introduction and teaching of entrepreneurial education in higher education. Recent development shows that many graduate out of school without formal employment cannot make themselves useful. Consequently, the introduction of entrepreneurial education in undergraduate programs is to provide them with the knowledge and skill to identify new opportunities to start businesses of their own and manage this business successfully. The essence is to reduce the rate of unemployment in the country. The concept of Entrepreneurship education is centered on the training and acquisition of skills and knowledge which leads to the identification of new business opportunity. Entrepreneurship education leads to the realization of new business opportunities.  The primary type of entrepreneurship is the starting of a new business. Consequently, many undergraduate entrepreneurship education program focuses entrepreneurship education on the identification and starting of new businesses. The problem confronting the study is appraising the impact of entrepreneurial education on undergraduate career development.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The fundamental objective of the study is to appraise the impact of entrepreneurial education on undergraduate career development. The specific objectives of the study include:

1.      To determine the relevance of entrepreneurship education to undergraduate students.
2. To understand the impacts of entrepreneurship education on undergraduates’ career development.
3. To examine the challenges of entrepreneurship education in undergraduate programs.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. How relevant is entrepreneurship education to undergraduate students?
2. What are the impacts of entrepreneurship education on undergraduates’ career development?
3. What are the challenges of entrepreneurship education in undergraduate programs?

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Ho₁: There is no significant impact of entrepreneurship education on undergraduates’ career development.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study intends to provide valuable information concerning the impact of entrepreneurial education on undergraduate career development.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study focuses on the appraisal the impact of entrepreneurial education on undergraduate career development.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The research was confronted with logistics and geographical constraint.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

ENTERPRISE DEFINED

This is referred to as an organization or a business. It is also referred to as a project, Business plan or Business activities

INNOVATION DEFINED

Innovation is the discovery of a new thing or business. It can also refer to something new or to a change made to an existing product, idea, or field.

INVENTION DEFINED

Usually something which has not previously been in existence?