Factors Influencing Self-Employment Intentions of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TEVET) Engineering Graduates in Ndola District, Zambia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59413/ajocs/v5.i.4.12Keywords:
Self-employment intentions, TEVET, engineering graduates, entrepreneurship education, Ndola District, ZambiaAbstract
The ongoing problem of graduate unemployment in Zambia, especially among Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TEVET) graduates has... This analysis documents the determinants of self-employment intentions among engineering graduates from Northern Technical College (NORTEC) in Ndola District, Zambia. Based on the Theory of Entrepreneurial Competency, this study uses concurrent mixed-method research design, combining quantitative survey data from 232 TEVET engineering students and qualitative data from focus group discussions. The research argues that self-employment intentions can be better understood by examining both contextual and psychological factors. In relation to Graduates, entrepreneurial skills gap, lack of adequate institutional support and negative self-perceptions are some of the factors that limit these graduates from pursuing an entrepreneurial career. In contrast, demographic and social variables are insignificant. This study highlights the importance of policy interventions that foster entrepreneurship education, provide startup capital, and support the development of a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem within Zambia's TEVET institutions. The results will inform the overall discourse on self-employment among the youth and have practical implications for educational policymakers, training institutions, and programs for developing entrepreneurship.
Downloads
References
Ajani, O. A., Khumatake, M. R., & Gamede, B. T. (2023). A systematic review of entrepreneurship education in higher education as panacea to unemployment reduction in South African graduates. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), 12(9), 392-404.
Al-Qadasi, N., Zhang, G., & Al-Jubari, I. (2021). Attitude of youth towards self-employment: Evidence from university students in Yemen. Plos one, 16(9), e0257358-368.
Aroumougame, A. K. (2021). The Impact of Youth Unemployment Due To Work Experience Required by Business Houses, Lusaka Zambia. Khazanah Sosial, 3(3), 118-129.
Ayalew, M. M., & Zeleke, S. A. (2018). Modeling the impact of entrepreneurial attitude on self-employment intention among engineering students in Ethiopia. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 7, 1-27.
Baluku, M. M., Onderi, P., & Otto, K. (2021). Predicting self-employment intentions and entry in Germany and East Africa: an investigation of the impact of mentoring, entrepreneurial attitudes, and psychological capital. Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship, 33(3), 289-322.
Betran, M. G. F. (2022). Demand-side Constraints to Youth Employment in Zambia: Evidence from the Third Enterprise Survey Follow Up Round. World Bank Publications.
Bird, A., & Osland, J. S. (2017). Global competencies: An introduction. The Blackwell handbook of global management, 55-80.
Bird, B. (1988). Implementing entrepreneurial ideas: The case for intention.
Academy of Management Review, 13(3), 442–453.
Bird, B. (2019). Toward a theory of entrepreneurial competency. In Seminal ideas for the next twenty-five years of advances (Vol. 21, pp. 115-131). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Caliendo, M., Fossen, F., & Kritikos, A. S. (2014). Personality characteristics and the decisions to become and stay self-employed. Small Business Economics, 42, 787-814.
Caliendo, M., Kritikos, A. S., Rodriguez, D., & Stier, C. (2023). Self-efficacy and entrepreneurial performance of start-ups. Small Business Economics, 61(3), 1027-1051.
Chibanta, J. (2021). Employability of social work graduates in the Zambian labour market: a perspective of University of Zambia social work graduates (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Zambia).
Debelo, B.K. (2017). Impact of entrepreneurship education on university students self-employment intention with special reference to southwest Oromia Ethiopia (Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Andhra University).
Dubey, P. (2022). Entrepreneurial characteristics, attitude and self-employment intention: A study of public and private technical institutes’ undergraduates. Journal of Business and Socio-economic Development, 24, 21-30.
Faloye, D. O., & Olatunji, O. D. (2018). Entrepreneurship education and self-employment intentions among fresh graduates in Nigeria. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, 9(12), 146-158.
Fayolle, A., & Gailly, B. (2015). The impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial attitudes and intention: Hysteresis and persistence. Journal of small business management, 53(1), 75-93.
Hoogendoorn, B., Van der Zwan, P., & Thurik, R. (2019). Sustainable entrepreneurship: The role of perceived barriers and risk. Journal of business ethics, 157, 1133-1154.
Japheth, K. M., & Dimo, H. (2019). Challenges Facing the Entry of Graduates of Technical Training Institutions into Self-employment. Africa Journal of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, 4(1), 94-107.
Kisubi, M., Korir, M., & Bonuke, R. (2021). Entrepreneurial education and self-employment: does entrepreneurial self-efficacy matter? SEISENSE Business Review, 1(1), 18-30.
Mabunda, N. O., & Frick, L. (2020). Factors that influence the employability of National Certificate (Vocational) graduates: The case of a rural TVET college in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. Journal of Vocational, Adult and Continuing Education and Training, 3(1), 89-108.
Mahlaole, S. T., & Malebana, M. J. (2021). The Effects Of Entrepreneurship Education On Students' entrepreneurial Intentions At A South African University Of Technology. Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 24, 1-16.
Miço, H., & Cungu, J. (2023). Entrepreneurship education, a challenging learning process towards entrepreneurial competence in education. Administrative Sciences, 13(1), 22-32.
Mileji, P., Lubbungu, J., & Magasu, O. (2023). Perceptions on Youth Employability and
Ministry of Technology and Science (2024). TEVETA Student Enrollment Increase From 38,500 in 2021 to 95,800 in 2023. [Online]. Available at: https://www.mots.gov.zm/?p=3145#:~:text=TEVETA%20student%20enrollment%20 increasepercentage20fromministry%20of%20technology%20and%20Science (Accessed 25 January 2024).
Minola, T., Criaco, G., & Obschonka, M. (2016). Age, culture, and self-employment motivation. Small Business Economics, 46, 187-213.
Mululu, L. (2023). Higher education and employment: exploring experiences of graduates in Lusaka district (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Zambia).
Mwamba, L. K., Musonda, A., & Daka, H. (2021). Bridging the gap in teacher education curriculum in promoting entrepreneurship: a case study of undergraduate students of Kwame Nkrumah University, Kabwe-Zambia. International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), 8(8), 1-9.
Mwange, A., Matoka, W., Noombo, C., & Chibesa, K. (2025). Entrepreneurship Education and Entrepreneurial Intentions of Youths in Zambia: The Mediating Roles of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy and Entrepreneurial Attitudes. African Journal of Commercial Studies, 6(1), 74-83.
Mwiya, B., Wang, Y., Shikaputo, C., Kaulung'ombe, B., & Kayekesi, M. (2017). Predicting the entrepreneurial intentions of university students: Applying the theory of planned behaviour in Zambia, Africa. Open Journal of Business and Management, 5, 592-610.
Nintunze, C. (2023). Determinants of youth self-employment in Bujumbura-Mairie, Burundi (Doctoral dissertation, Moshi Co-operative University (MoCU)).
Noel, E. A. (2023). The impact of entrepreneurship education in developing entrepreneurial intentions in TVET institutions in Trinidad and Tobago (Doctoral dissertation, Heriot-Watt University).
NORTEC (2024). Northern Technical College. [Online]. Available at: https://www.nortec.edu.zm/ (Accessed 26 January 2024).
Nowiński, W., Haddoud, M. Y., Lančarič, D., Egerová, D., & Czeglédi, C. (2019). The impact of entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and gender on entrepreneurial intentions of university students in the Visegrad countries. Studies in Higher Education, 44(2), 361-379.
Patel, P. C., & Wolfe, M. T. (2020). Not all paths lead to Rome: Self-employment, wellness beliefs, and well-being. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 14, e00183-193.
Pepple, G. J., & Enuoh, R. O. (2020). Entrepreneurial competencies: A required skill for business performance. European Journal of Business and Innovation Research, 8(3), 50-61.
Serah, A. T. (2015). The relationship between entrepreneurship and self-employment intention among undergraduate students of Universiti Utara Malaysia (Doctoral dissertation, Universiti Utara Malaysia).
Tounkara, M. B., Mphuka, C., Kaonga, O., & Chitah, B. (2020). Returns to Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Evidence from Zambia. Zambia Social Science Journal, 8(2), 3-13.
Yamane, T. (1973). Statistics: An introductory analysis. John Wiley & sons.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Alex Muzano Kayolo Simumba, Austin Mwange (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
