Factors Determining the Choice of Entrepreneurship Among Tertiary Institutions Unemployed Graduates in Kitengela Township – Kenya
Abstract
Youthful populace is a capability resource for increase and social development if
gainfully and productively engaged. From a demographic standpoint, youth represent
60% of the human capital in Kenya (MOYAS 2008). According to the report, there are
approximately 500,000 adolescents in Kenya who graduate from various tertiary
institutions prepared to get into the marketplace annually but due to a slow financial
growth, nepotism, and demand for skills by probable employers, (factors that are rampant
today), have made over 75% of them remain unemployed. This study was done with a
vision of contributing to the understanding of the main factors that determine the choice
of entrepreneurship as a means to employment among tertiary institutions unemployed
graduates. The purpose of the study was to establish the most important entrepreneurial
competencies, and further examine how accessibility of economic resources and sociocultural
factors influence unemployed graduates of tertiary institutions in choosing
entrepreneurship as a means of employment. It focused in particular on the analysis of
those personal attributes and competencies that influence such choices. The study
utilized descriptive survey design and the population was drawn from those who
graduated from the Technology Development Centre (TDC) between 2013 and 2014 and
had indicated Kitengela as their place of residence in the register provided by the college.
A stratified random sampling criterion was used where a 30% target population (39
respondents) was taken. The study established that tertiary education increased the level
of entrepreneurial competency and choice of business to engage in; and most of the
youths had capital to start their preferred business with access tothe Youth Enterprise
Fund, Women Enterprise Fund, Micro Finance Institutions and others. The study
concludes that youths consider the idea of becoming entrepreneurs although sociocultural
factors and access to economic resources are determinants to their choices; and
this has affected the realization of their aspirations. This study recommends that the
National Government introduces business incubation centres in colleges and universities
to mentor youth in entrepreneurship. It is upon the National Government to integrate
entrepreneurship in the curriculum of higher education and emphasise entrepreneurship
as a means to employment. Lending institutions should design products, including soft
loans that attract unemployed graduates to establish their enterprises.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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