475

ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING: A TOOL FOR JOB CREATION AND

SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Franklin N. Agetue
Department of Business Administration & Management,
Delta State Polytechnic,
Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State.

and

Anthony E. Nnamdi
Department of Business Administration & Management,
Delta State Polytechnic,
Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State.

Abstract
The Nigerian economy is characterized by widespread and deep-seated
level of unemployment. This negative socio-economic phenomenon
results from poor industrial base, inadequate social infrastructure and
failure of the educational system to produce graduates with requisite
skills relevant to societal needs. Unemployment is a state of joblessness
under which sustainable national development is unattainable.
Entrepreneurship has in recent time, been identified as effective means
of fast-tracking national development of developing countries hence, the
overriding need for entrepreneurship training. This paper posits that
entrepreneurship training is critical in any effort to rescue Nigeria from
endemic unemployment and under development as it provides graduates
with necessary skills for self- reliance and job creation, which are
necessary ingredients for socio- economic development. The need for
re-orientation of the youths and governments’ political will to overhaul
the educational system in Nigeria with emphasis on entrepreneurial
development are recommended.

Introduction
It is a common knowledge that the development. Undue emphasis was placed
system of education bequeathed to Nigeria on clerical/administrative facet of
by her colonial master is devoid of education.
technical skill acquisition and self-reliance This distorted educational system
which could result in sustainable continued in the wake of the country’s
Journal of Teacher Perspective 476

independence resulting in the existence of increasingly efficient use of resources

army of graduates who are largely job (human and materials) and serves as key to
seekers, who depend absolutely on white- accelerating the generation, dissemination
collar jobs available in government and application of innovative and creative
establishments, multinational companies ideas, which culminates in job creation,
and few indigenous investments. economic empowerment and foster
In view of the economic sustainable national development.
contractions that took a toll on the This paper seeks to clearly
economy of Nigeria and severely limited establish that entrepreneurship training is a
the capacity of private organizations and veritable mechanism for job creation and
forced government to adopt “minimum impetus to attainment of sustainable
government”, the frontier of employment national development in Nigerian economy
availability contracted significantly. This replete with socio-economic imperfections.
condition is exacerbated by phenomenal
rise in the number of job seekers The Concept of Entrepreneurship
(graduates) churned out from the Entrepreneurship has been defined
educational institutions. The enormity of in various ways by many writers. Utomi
the situation can be appreciated (2000) in Adidu and Olannye (2006)
considering the observation that while defines the concept as the persistent pursuit
Ashby Commission Report of 1959 of opportunity to create wealth through
targeted 7,500 students enrolment in innovative creation of a product or service
Nigeria universities by 1970, the actual that meets customers’ needs, using scarce
figure was 15,272 (Oni, 1999). In the resources in a way that results in a growth
same token, the number of graduates of an enterprise which satisfies the
leaving our tertiary institutions annually expectations of stakeholders, whose roles
has increased steadily and significantly. sustain the business. In their own view,
The foregoing smacks of Nwaogwugwu and Ugiagbe (2008) hold
widespread and deep-seated that the concept is the willingness and
unemployment which no nation can pride ability of an individual (or group of
itself of as it is antithetical to sustainable individuals) to seek out investment
national development and even human opportunities especially through
dignity. Consequently, there is overriding innovation, establish and run the enterprise
need to overhaul the educational system successfully. Further, Egboh (2009) states
with emphasis on entrepreneurship that entrepreneurship involves perception
training/education which provides and identification of business
graduates with necessary skills and attitude opportunities, decision on the location of
that will make them self-employed, self- enterprise, innovation, which involves
reliant, employers of labour and productive creative response to an opportunity, risk
members of the society. Entrepreneurship bearing of all uninsurable risks and
training inherently fuels the drive for management of the ongoing organization.
 Entrepreneurship Training: A Tool for Job Creation … 477

We consider the last definition The vital place of entrepreneurship

more suitable due to its emphasis on some training is revealed by the assertion by
of the issues we christened “tenets of Limbo (2002) that the less emphasized but
entrepreneurship”, which include most important causes of unemployment
perception of business opportunities, and failure of small scale businesses seem
innovation, creativity and risk taking. to be lack of skill for successful
However, this definition is punctured for entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship
muddling up innovation and creativity. training is a conscious process of
We therefore, see the concept as the equipping graduates with the skills and
process of perceiving business opportunity, attitudes of entrepreneurship. Ezema, et al
mobilizing resources (financial, human and (2005) in Adidu and Olannye (2006) view
otherwise) and initiating action(s) under an entrepreneurship education as a specialized
enterprise which is characterized by risk training given to students to acquire the
taking, innovation and creativity to meet skills, ideas and the managerial abilities
individual, groups, or societal needs. and capabilities for self-employment rather
than being employed for pay. It is a
Entrepreneurship Training/Education deliberate attempt to provide trainees with
As a departure from the hitherto relevant knowledge, appropriate skills,
prevailing educational curriculum, which competence and right attitude to
was devoid of equipping, graduates with effectively run or manage a business outfit.
vocational, saleable and productive skills, This training enables the beneficiaries to
the searchlight is now beamed on be self-employed, self-reliant,
entrepreneurship training and skill economically empowered and employers
acquisition. Weihrich, Cannice and of labour.
Koontz (2008) assert that becoming an
entrepreneur is an increasingly popular The Concept of Sustainable National
career alternative for many individuals and Development
more and more universities have begun to Sustainable National Development
teach entrepreneurship, making it a field of is a relatively new and dynamic philosophy
learning that is increasingly being offered of development that lays emphasis on
across university campuses and not just development that meets the needs of the
within business schools. This is sequel to present without compromising the ability
the significant reduction of opportunities of future generations to meet their own
for employment in large companies and needs. It ensures that socio-economic
government and the conviction that development programmes endorsed by
entrepreneurship involves a body of nations is devoid of unbridled exploitation
knowledge, skills and attitudes which can and depletion of non-renewable resources,
be learned and applied by individuals who unmitigated degradation of the
are adequately motivated or guided. environment, dislocation of community
life and impaired quality of life for large
Journal of Teacher Perspective 478

sections of the population (Oni, 1999). firms as well as the viability of existing
Sustainable national development ones. When many of the graduates are
emphasizes the creation of sustainable exposed to the nitty-gritty of establishing
improvements in the quality of life of all and managing enterprises successfully in
people through increases in real income the formal and informal education system,
per capita, improvement in education, it will inspire significant number of the
health and general quality of life and graduates to venture into the world of
improvements in quality of national enterprise and be successful too. It
environmental resources. It is the process provides necessary training in skills and
of accelerating economic development in encourages creativity and innovation in
order to conserve and enhance the stock of identification of business opportunities,
environmental, human and physical capital organization and management of the
without making future generation worse- enterprise. Consequently, it reduces the
off (Jhingan, 2007). spate of graduate unemployment given the
Sustainable national development fact that it serves as impetus for graduates
entails that development be emancipative: or unemployed youths to believe in
development must foster self-reliance, themselves, be self-reliant, self-employed
local resource control, empowerment and and, in fact, employers of labour.
participation of underprivileged and The correlation between
marginalized and offer opportunities for entrepreneurship training and job creation
self-gratifying actions. It is concerned with is obvious. Firstly, it enhances job
transformation of the entire society for the creation due to its potency of making the
wellbeing of present generation without graduates perceive business opportunities
jeopardizing the existence or comfort of to be exploited.
future generation. Secondly, it provides the trainees
the requisite skills to run their
Entrepreneurship Training and Job organizations successfully because
Creation according to Isoun (2002) in Egboh
With the contraction in (2009), “businesses don’t fail, people do”.
employment opportunities available in Suffice to say that people fail because they
government establishments and large lack the necessary skills, attitudes and
companies, entrepreneurship has a vital knowledge for entrepreneurial effort.
role to play as source of new jobs. Entrepreneurship training curbs this
Entrepreneurship training, which has been managerial deficiency.
seen as a specialized training given to Thirdly, entrepreneurship training
students to equip them with the skills, facilitates the growth, profitability and
ideas and capabilities for self-employment expansion of any enterprise. This is
and self-reliance rather than depending on because the entrepreneur, by virtue of the
paid employment, positively affects the training acquired is able to manage the
formation, growth and survival of new ongoing business efficiently.
 Entrepreneurship Training: A Tool for Job Creation … 479

Fourthly, the success of the resources which negatively affect future

entrepreneur results in the employment of generation.
others. They become employers of labour Secondly, the self-employment
as their business succeeds and expands and job creation elements inherent in
significantly. Many entrepreneurs have entrepreneurship training frontally tackle
scores of employees in their payroll. the spate of unemployment, which impedes
The above reflect the strategic place of sustainable national development.
entrepreneurship training in job creation. Thirdly, resources that would have
been lying idle or rotting away are utilized
Entrepreneurship Training and with the application of creativity and
Sustainable National Development innovation.
On account of the job creation Fourthly, joblessness breeds crime
inherent in entrepreneurship, it is a viable in the society as idle mind is the devil’s
tool for curbing unemployment, which is a workshop. It is a tacit fact that criminality
threat to sustainable national development. inhibits sustainable national development
Egboh (2009) asserts that there is a strong hence, in as much as entrepreneurship
link between economic development of training provides job for the unemployed
any nation and entrepreneurship education and by extension, reduces crime, it
and sees it as a key element in the definitely contributes to sustainable
industrial and commercial development of national development.
any nation. In the same vein, Zimmerer Fifthly, it enhances economic
and Scarborough (2006) describe empowerment and standard of living of the
entrepreneurship training as the most society since those employed, earn income
significant tool for economic development that enables them to meet their basic needs
in recent business history. It is pertinent to and escape the blight of absolute poverty.
state that sustainable national development Sixthly, the GDP (Gross Domestic
aims at maximizing the net benefit of Product) of any nation is enhanced by
economic development, giving everyone more number of small and medium scale
the chance to participate in public life, businesses that are successfully established
helping to curb degradation of the and run in that nation. The hallmark of
environment, promoting intergenerational entrepreneurship training is to enhance the
equity, thus, meeting the needs of the birth and growth of small and medium
present generation without endangering scale businesses which contribute greatly
those of the future generation. to the domestic products of that nation.
The correlation between The foregoing ensures the
entrepreneurship training and sustainable attainment of present and future needs of
national development can be appreciated any nation which is the core of sustainable
as; firstly, it equips trainees with skills to national development.
be efficient in the application of resources
thus eschewing wastes and misuse of
Journal of Teacher Perspective 480

Conclusions materials). Self-employment inherent in

Until quite recently, the entrepreneurship training and its multiplier
educational system in Nigeria neglected effect of creating jobs for others directly
the areas of vocational and reduce unemployment which is antithetical
entrepreneurship training. This resulted in to sustainable national development. In
the existence of large number of the same vein, the economic empowerment
unemployed graduates oriented towards and improved standard of living for the
white-collar jobs. However, economic self-employed and those engaged in the
realities contracted employment enterprise, by virtue of the acquisition of
opportunities in the society. As a result, relevant entrepreneurial training, ensures
government and authorities in the the attainment of sustainable national
educational sector have turned attention to development as no nation can be said to be
self-employment generating platform with developed when a significant number of its
inherent feature of creating jobs and populace is assailed by gross deficiency in
entrepreneurship is a central phenomenon meeting basic needs driven by joblessness.
in this regard. Consequently Conclusively, entrepreneurship
entrepreneurship training has become a training is central to the attainment of
common attribute of most tertiary economic progress in a market economy
institutions with many of them establishing characterized by socio-economic
Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies deficiencies manifesting in unemployment
headed by a Director. and underdevelopment. This derives from
This paper argues that entrepreneurship the potency of entrepreneurship training to
training results in job creation and create new jobs through the establishment
sustainable national development. of enterprises (self-employment) as well as
In the area of job creation, provide jobs for others; thus addressing the
entrepreneurship training equips trainees issue of unemployment which is a strange
with requisite skills, attitude and bed-fellow to sustainable national
knowledge for perceiving business development.
opportunities, formation and management
of enterprise profitably. This makes the Recommendations
trainees to be self-employed and delisted To strengthen the capacity of
from the unending queue of job seekers. It entrepreneurship training to translate to job
equally creates job for others as more creation and sustainable national
hands might be required to effectively development, the following
manage the expanding enterprise. recommendations are made:
Also, entrepreneurship training is Government, through tertiary
effective tool for entrenchment of institutions, should embark on appropriate
sustainable national development. It re-orientation of Nigeria undergraduates to
imparts skills and attitude necessary for have the mind-set of self-employment and
maximization of resources (human and creation of employment opportunities
 Entrepreneurship Training: A Tool for Job Creation … 481

rather than searching for paid employment average prospective entrepreneur is how to
which has increasingly become acquire electricity generating set with its
unavailable. attendant high cost of running, which eats
Handicraft/handiwork should be deep into the viability of the enterprise.
taken seriously right from the primary
level of education. The practice of paying References
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