Entrepreneurship Education and Vocational Skill Development as Drivers of Inclusive Growth Among Business Education Graduates in Public Universities in South-South Nigeria
Keywords:
Entrepreneurship, Education, Vocational Skills, Development, EmployabilityAbstract
This study examined entrepreneurship education and vocational skill development as drivers of inclusive growth among Business Education graduates in Public Universities in South-South Nigeria. The study was guided by two objectives, two research questions, and two hypotheses. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The population comprised 1,496 final-year Business Education students in Public Universities across the South-South region of Nigeria, while a sample of 303 respondents was selected using the Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination table. Data were collected using two validated instruments titled Inclusive Growth Among Business Education Graduates Questionnaire (IGBEGQ) and Instructional Delivery of Business Education Programmes Questionnaire (IDBEPQ), with an overall reliability coefficient of 0.84 determined through Cronbach's alpha. Data analysis was conducted using the arithmetic mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while the hypotheses were tested using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that entrepreneurship education and vocational skill development serve as drivers for inclusive growth and employability among Business Education graduates. The study concluded that vocational skill development plays a vital role in enhancing the employability and economic inclusion of Business Education graduates in public universities in South-South Nigeria. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made, among others that; Public universities in South-South Nigeria should strengthen the Business Education curriculum by integrating more practical and industry-relevant vocational modules. This will ensure that graduates acquire hands-on competencies that enhance their employability and enable them to participate effectively in inclusive economic activities
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