ASSESSMENT OF THE INFLUENCE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION ON ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS OF STUDENTS OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF FORESTRY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study assessed the influence of entrepreneurship education on the entrepreneurial skills of graduates of Federal Colleges of Forestry. This study was carried out to ensure that Federal College of Forestry graduates are equipped with the necessary skills for self-employment and employer of labour. The study adopted a non-experimental descriptive survey research design. Four research questions were answered and four hypotheses tested. Non-probability sampling methods (purposive and snowball) were used to select one hundred and sixty-one (161) graduates. A validated 42-item questionnaire, grouped into five clusters, was used, with expert review and a strong reliability coefficient (r = 0.88), confirming the instrument's validity and reliability. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while t-test was used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that graduates acknowledged acquiring entrepreneurship skills, including personality, business, creativity, and marketing skills. Gender had no significant effect on the mean rating regarding the acquisition of personality skills, but it had a significant effect on business, creativity, and marketing skills. Based on these findings, it was concluded that entrepreneurship education played a crucial role in equipping graduates with relevant entrepreneurial competencies. Therefore, making it a compulsory inclusion in the curriculum which becomes a commendable initiative. Consequently, it was recommended that students should be encouraged to take entrepreneurship education more seriously, as it contributes meaningfully to their future self-reliance and capacity to create employment opportunities.