Entrepreneurship Education, Attitudes and Entrepreneurial Intention of Engineering Students in Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institutions in Kenya

Abstract

This study proposes the research framework that entrepreneurship education affects entrepreneurial intention through the mediating mechanisms of attitudes. The study adopted the Baron and Kenny (1986) approach to analyze the hypothesis. The respondents comprised 265 students taking engineering courses at diploma level in Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions in Kenya. A total of 239 valid questionnaires, representing 90% of the sample, were analyzed. The results revealed that attitudes partially mediate the effect of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intention among engineering students in Kenya. This study finding contributes to knowledge by addressing the gaps in previous studies regarding the direct effect of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intention. Second, by reporting partial mediation of attitudes on the relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intention, the research proposes the need for more studies to explore other possible mediating factors, other than attitudes, which may affect the relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intention.

Keywords: entrepreneurship education; entrepreneurial intention; attitude, mediating effect