Extensiveness of the Entrepreneurship Education Skills Project on Enhancing Youth Employment among Secondary School Students in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

Extensiveness of the Entrepreneurship Education Skills Project on Enhancing Youth Employment among Secondary School Students in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

Festo Michael^1*, Dr. Victorini Salema² & Dr. Emmanuel Kileo^3
1Masters Student, Mwenge Catholic University-Tanzania
²Senior Lecturer, Mwenge Catholic University-Tanzania
³Lecturer, Mwenge Catholic University-Tanzania
*Corresponding Author

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.70982

Received: 26 August 2023; Revised: 07 September 2023; Accepted: 11 September 2023; Published: 07 October 2023

ABSTRACT

The evaluation of the implementation of entrepreneurship incubator skills project on enhancing youth employment among 8 secondary school in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania. The study was guided by the Kirkpatrick Training Evaluation Model by Donald Kirkpatrick (1959). This study adopted an ex post facto design with quantitative approach. The targeted population involved 480 students, 40 alumnae, six coordinating teachers, six heads of schools, one regional coordinator and one country director of the project. The sample of this study included 96 students, 8 alumnae, 6 coordinating teachers, 6 heads of schools, 1 regional coordinator, and 1 country director of the project. Simple random sampling, stratified random sampling, and census sampling techniques were used to sample the respondents. Research instruments included questionnaires, observation schedules, and document analysis schedules. Ethical issues relating to this study were considered accordingly. Validity for quantitative instruments was ensured by involving three (3) research experts from MWECAU. Reliability for quantitative instruments ensured by using the Cronbach’s Alpha technique. The researcher used descriptive statistics for data analysis in frequencies, percentages, and mean scores. The findings revealed that knowledge of entrepreneurship skills among youth is crucial and is highly needed by the extreme majority of the students since additional knowledge enables youth to avoid mismatches between theory and practice. The study concluded that Asante Africa Foundation’s entrepreneurship skills training has a positive impact on students’ critical thinking and self-confidence. The project was effective in providing students with cognitive skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, which are essential for success in the modern workplace. Governments and educational institutions should incorporate entrepreneurship education into their curricula to equip students with employability skills and improve job readiness among youth. Entrepreneurship education programs should involve real-life situations and be designed to enhance transferable skills that can be applied in various employment types.

Keywords. Entrepreneurship, Incubator, Soft skills, Extensiveness.

INTRODUCTION

Entrepreneurship education is a crucial aspect of preparing young people for the challenges of the business across the world. It equips them with the skills and knowledge necessary to start and run their own businesses, thereby reducing youth unemployment and poverty reduction. According to Labour Organization (ILO) report 2020 revealed that the Global Youth unemployment rate increasing for three years from 2019 to 2021 by 13.6 percent, 13.7, and 13.8 respectively. The study informs that the Global youth unemployment rate is projected to rise by 0.1 percent every year (Koliev, 2022). However, youth employment is reported as a growing Global threat and still increases yearly hence call for investigation the kinds of education provided to youth especially in 21^st century.

Tanzania took several steps in ensuring youth are acquired skills necessary to have employment among others is establishment of policies like Education for Self-Reliance which insist on skills acquisitions (Högberg et al., 2019). Additionally, Tanzania is a member state of United Nation (UN) organization which insists of socio-economic development in the Structural Development Goal of 2030 sub section 4 regarding implementation of Quality education with valuable skills necessary to reducing unemployment and poverty (Delli Paoli & Addeo, 2019). On top of that the government join venture with private institutions like Asante Africa Foundation (AAF) to ensure that youth are equipped with quality education and necessary skills (Wallace et al., 2022). By working together, these groups can leverage their resources and expertise to provide comprehensive support to young entrepreneurs. In this regards AAF introduce the entrepreneurship incubator skills project in the northern zone Tanzania which comprised of Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Tanga. The project aims to promote entrepreneurship education skills to young people, as a means of reducing unemployment and poverty. Regardless, of the partnership still youth unemployment remains debatable that need to be addressed with both Governments and non-governmental organizations.

One of the key features of entrepreneurship incubator skills project is its focus on contextualizing the training to local needs. By considering the specific challenges and opportunities in the regions, the project has to provide relevant and effective training that prepares young people for the local business environment. According to Cocker et al., (2021) project implementation create the type of service that best meets local needs, ensuring their services are participative and responsive to the specific safeguarding needs of individual youth. It means that entrepreneurship education skills are a key strategy to empower youth and provide them with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the employment. This approach expected to equip youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to start and manage their own businesses, thereby contributing to job creation and poverty reduction. Despite of knowledge acquisition the issue of youth employment is still debatable thus call for investigation on the extent AAF succeeded in implement entrepreneurship incubator skills project on enhancing youth employment.

In preparing young people to face global challenges graduate from the entrepreneurship incubator skills project are prepared to life beyond the classroom as entrepreneurs, having decent jobs and skilled workers, widening their career choices and improving their chances of creating and sustaining successful businesses (LEI Report, 2019). The focus of project is skills acquisition training.  Among the benefits of entrepreneurship education skills to provide youth with a viable skills alternative to traditional employment, create a culture of innovation and self-reliance among young people, which can in turn lead to greater economic growth and prosperity. Therefore, this study conducted to evaluate the extent entrepreneurship education skills enhancing youth employment among students in Kilimanjaro region Tanzania.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Amarathunga & Wijethunga, (2022) in Sri Lanka conducted a study on undergraduates regarding Employability Capital towards Work readiness. The purpose of the study was to generates employability skills and knowledge to create a significant impact on the socio-economic development of a country. The study employed Cross section survey design under a quantitative approach because the data was collected once. A sample of 394 respondents was involved in the study which was obtained by using stratified sampling as the population was heterogeneous. The instrument for data collection was online questionnaire. Descriptive statistical data and correlation analysis techniques were used to determine the relationship between Employability Capital and Work readiness. Also, data were analyzed by the use of SPSS version 23. The results revealed that there is a positive relationship between work readiness and employability capital. The study findings of Amarathunga and Wijethunga has provided useful information for understand the comparison between work readiness and employability capital. However, the current study wants to investigate the extent youth will have activities rather than comparison. Furthermore, the study collected responses from matured students and also, the use of single sample for the study limit getting adequate and valid information whereas the current study will involve different sample like students, teacher’s head of schools, coordinator and director to get valid information. Therefore, the current study expected to find out the extent entrepreneurship education skills enhance youth employment among secondary school students in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania.

Al Idrus et al., (2019) in Indonesia conducted a case study about contribution of entrepreneurship learning on self-employment intention and among students at Islamic higher education institutions. The aim of the study among others was to describe the contribution of entrepreneurship learning dimensions on entrepreneurial intention among students. The study employed Quantitative approach. The targeted population of the study were students who take in entrepreneurship learning course. The sample of the study were 117 who obtained by the use of stratified random sampling. Data were analyzed by using multiple linear regression analysis. The findings revealed that entrepreneurship learning is partially having contribution on students’ entrepreneurial interest. The study findings offered background information to the current study regarding students emotion and motivation towards entrepreneurship education skills which they might be prepared to be entrepreneurs without their consent. However, the former study highlights the contributions of entrepreneurship learning skills on employment but bridge the gap on the extent entrepreneurship skills enhancing youth employment among secondary school students in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania as it focuses to different context and students who obvious do not aware of the activity they are going to do.

Joensuu-Salo et al., (2021a) in Finland conducted a study concerning the comparison of activities done by the teacher in and outside the classroom by a quote, “Entrepreneurial teachers do they make a difference? – or don’t they?” the study was expected to contribute to the research field of entrepreneurship education by providing a new perspective that combine concepts of the practice and teaching among teachers. The study employed a quantitative study approach. The sample of the study was 1011 respondents who are twenty percent of the teachers from 21 Finnish Universities of applied science. The instrument for data collection was an online questionnaire. The results of the findings show that the risk-taking and innovativeness ability of the teachers have a positive relationship with teaching methods and influence how the teacher encourages the development of students’ entrepreneurial competence. Also, the results confirm the importance of the teacher’s innovativeness entrepreneurial, and risk-taking when fostering the development of students’ entrepreneurial competencies. The study findings have enlightened useful information to the current study as it studies whether the coordinating teachers and regional coordinator have to be realistic in practice their own activities based on entrepreneurship education skills. On the contrary the former study was unclear on how entrepreneurial teacher will enhance youth employment rather compare knowledge and practice. Moreover, the former study based on in-service workers which is different with youth of which some are still in secondary schools while others completed their studies but do not think widely. Hence the current study will be conducted in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania and will not only involve teachers, but also principal respondents who are students taught in the AAF club, head of schools, regional coordinator and country director of the project to allow data triangulation.

Ahmed et al., (2022) in Ilorin-Nigeria, conducted a study regarding the link between entrepreneurship education and employability skills of tertiary institution students. The study employed a descriptive research design while the targeted population for the study comprises students of  Kwara state college of Business Education in Ilorin. The sample of the study included 180 students obtained using multistage, purposive, stratified, and simple random sampling techniques. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed by the use of regression analysis. The study revealed that entrepreneurship education is a blueprint for employability competence acquisition among students that make them victuals after graduation. The study of Ahmed and his colleagues give us credible information that student should be attached with added skills during studies of which could enable to have activities to do after finish secondary school. However, the former study misses some information regarding the extent entrepreneurship education enhance employability skills to the students whereas the current study will fill this gap by evaluate the Entrepreneurship Incubator skills project on enhancing youth employment among secondary school students in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania focusing on job creation and employment opportunities.

Yiga, (2022) in Uganda conducted a study involving methods and determinants of employability with Skills level in Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) graduates in central Uganda. The study aimed to study skill levels and learner capabilities because of mismatch in the market requirements. The study uses the class-based written test as the main methodology. The sample of the study was 150 graduates of TVET in central Uganda. Data were analyzed by using logistic analysis and the use of a Tobit regression. The findings revealed that employability depends on the level of skills and possessing skills to be employed. The study gave constructive information regarding necessity of the Skills level and youth capability in the market is a problem but lack some important data on how skill level will be used to enhancing youth employment among secondary school students in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania. However, the study used only one sample of which it is difficult to get valid information since only graduates were involved again one instrument for data collection might not be enough to yield in-depth information regarding youth employments whereas the current study is expected to employ students coordinating teachers, regional coordinator and country director to the current study as well as employ questionnaires, and document analysis schedule for the purpose to get valid information.

Mutalemwa, (2021) in Dar es Salaam conduct an empirical study concerning the contribution of University education and graduate employability in Tanzania. The purpose of the study was to investigate the entrepreneurship in preparing graduate for the world of employment.  The sample of the study was 314 respondents. An instrument for data collection was an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using SPSS. The study revealed that the presence of entrepreneurship education in the educational system has a positive impact on developing skills required for future employment prospects for students. The study provided useful insights on how to ensure students completed their studies with valuable skills ready to work. However, the study was unclear on extent entrepreneurship education in the educational system enhance youth employment hence the needs for the current study to investigate the extent entrepreneurship education enhance youth employment among secondary school students in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania focusing on job creation and employment opportunities.

METHODOLOGY

In this research study, the evaluator employed an ex-post facto design, under the quantitative Approach. Quantitative evaluation design involves the collection of numerical data of which the evaluator aims to evaluate the short-term impact of entrepreneurship incubator training skills projects on enhancing youth employment to students of secondary school. The design was appropriated to the evaluator based on the nature of the information needed which intended to study whether the project met or reached its purpose by collecting quantitative data using a set of evaluation instruments simultaneously. The targeted population consisted of 8 secondary schools with for entrepreneurship incubator skills project from AAF, 480 form two, form three and form four students, 10 Alumna, 8 coordinating teachers, 8 heads of schools, 1 regional coordinator and 1 country director of the project. According to Kothari, (2011), Mugenda & Mugenda, (2012), Kaur, (2017), Cohen et al., (2018), Ogula et al., (2018), and Okendo et al., (2020), suggest an ideal sample size should be between 10% – 30% depending on data to be gathered and analyzed, since this is a quantitative study 20% has been chosen.  Probability sampling techniques were used to select respondents for the study. The sample consisted of 96 students, 7 Alumna, 6 coordinating teachers, 6 heads of schools, 1 regional coordinator and 1 country director of the project.

Quantitative data collection instruments included questionnaires, observation and document analysis schedules. Questionnaires were administered to students, coordinating teachers, regional coordinator and country director of the project which comprise of like rt type scale asking the participants to rate on the statements. Furthermore, document analysis schedule for whole school assisted the evaluator to collect information from heads of schools which enable the researcher to make clarifications of the principal respondents. Also, the observation schedule was used to observe the outcome of beneficiaries towards entrepreneurship incubator skills project and whether there is any plan after training. Descriptive statistics were presented using frequencies, percentages and means generated through the SPSS software version 22 and the results were presented in tables. The researcher adhered to the ethics of research across the entire process of this evaluation study.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

The evaluation question sought to identify the extent to which entrepreneurial education skills enhance youth employment while proceeding with the study and after completing the O-level studies. A questionnaire was used to capture the information required from students, coordinating teachers, the regional coordinator and the country director of the project. It was important for the researcher to collect information about these aspects to establish the link between skills training and skills practice. The aim of seeking this information was to check whether the entrepreneurship incubator training skills project was valuable to the students and coordinating teachers in the future. Therefore, students and coordinating teachers were expected to establish different projects in their schools and outside the school compound.

The Extent to Which Entrepreneurial Education Skills Enhancing Youth Employment (n=96)

Source: Field Data (2023)

Key: NA= Not at all(1), SE= To a small extent(2), ME= To a Moderate extent(3), GE= To a greater extent(4), VGE=To a very Greater extent(5) and (%) =means Percentage

Mean Score Interpretation: 4.30-5.00=Very high, 3.50-4.29=High, 2.70-3.49=Moderate, 1.90-2.69=Low, 1.00-1.89=Very low. (Abdullah & Othman, 2021; Hashim et al., 2022).

Data in Table 1 indicates that, the extreme majority (90.6%) of students rated to a greater extent and very greater extent that Entrepreneurship skills trained by the Asante Africa Foundation project bring changes in critical thinking skills. This implies that students deliberate to join the club intending to be well equipped with varieties of skills that help them to perform different practical activities in and outside the schools and this indicates that the entrepreneurship incubator skills project has a positive impact on youth’s skills to enhance employment on future job readiness.

Similarly, when the researcher collected the document involving AAF entrepreneurship incubator project it was revealed that the project was prepared with an attached curriculum document and other teaching and learning materials for the trainers. The document explains step by step what and how teaching and learning should be facilitated as well as how monitoring should be done. Again, during the training sessions students and coordinating teachers were motivated by giving t-shirts and iPad which facilitate following the training. This enables the students to be introduced to 21st-century digitalized skills that bring changes to students and their coordinating teachers.

This implies that critical thinking skills help students in different aspects like dealing with subjects in the classroom and settling students’ disputes among others. These findings are in line with those of the study by Ahmed et al., (2022) who affirmed that entrepreneurship education is a blueprint for employability competence acquisition among students that make them victuals after graduation. Thus, the entrepreneurship incubator skills project was very crucial to students because it helps them to acquire new knowledge and professional skills for the development of personal career goals and helps youth to create action plans to support their goals for future job prospects and employability. The study also, indicated that all students were attending the project training and they were ready to learn new skills apart from other things studied in the classroom.

Data in Table 1 shows that the great majority (93.7%) of the students responded to a greater extent and very greater extent that Entrepreneurship education skills acquire from the AAF project fostered self-confidence skills. The findings also entail that, knowledge of entrepreneurship skills trained by the project was highly needed by the extreme majority of the students whereas a minority of students (6.3%) indicated to a moderate extent and none indicated to a small extent and not at all on the same statement. The study revealed that a variety of entrepreneurship skills were highly built for the students, majority of the students were satisfied with the knowledge acquisition skills trained by AAF during its implementation as the training enabled students to learn varieties of cognitive skills like self-confidence skills, critical thinking skills, problem-solving and creativity skills among others.

Likewise, when the evaluator conducted an observation of one alumna of the project found out the success story that the alumna is telephone doctor maintenance. The alumna dropout physics subject in form three and now is making maintenance of the telephone. After completing the Ordinary level (O’level) he could not get a chance to proceed with the advanced level due to poor performance of which he got division IV with 30 points. The alumna was able to do such activities without being taught how to make phones and many people with phone problems believe in curing them. In this case, the evaluator conclude that it was prior training skills that enable the ex-students to deal with such kind of business. The findings concurred with the behaviour level of the Kirkpatrick model, which shows skills transferability and knowledge gained during the training project to real-life situations, such as starting a business or improving their performance in their existing jobs.

The finding shows that the knowledge of entrepreneurship skills in youths was very crucial as it increase entrepreneurship and employability skills while building a sense of self-confidence with strong cognitive problem-solving and creative skills. Furthermore, knowledge and employability skills will build students’ minds in dealing with critical issues that arise during and after the completion of their studies as a result become the changing agents, whose dreams and actions transform their future life. These findings concur with the study of Amarathunga & Wijethunga, (2022) which entails that knowledge of critical thinking skills to students has a positive relationship with job readiness and employability capital. Therefore, the involvement of entrepreneurship training skills has a significant role in youth in generating employability skills, and additional knowledge to create a significant impact on the socio-economic development of a country. This may be because additional knowledge and investing in youth as capital update youths’ minds and thinking critically on enhancing employment.

Response regarding the statement that Knowledge of entrepreneurship skills acquired by AAF enhance planning for their projects is also indicated in Table 1. The data show that the students (89.6%) responded to a greater extent and a very greater extent whereas the rest minority students (6.3%) and (4.2%) responded to a moderate extent and a small extent on the same statement respectively. The data obtained entail that the project was helping students to recognise themselves by thinking about their family’s hardship that they pass through and the whole community they save. These findings are in line with those of Mutalemwa, (2021) in Dar es Salaam which revealed that the presence of entrepreneurship education in the educational system has a positive impact on developing skills required for future employment prospects for students. Therefore, students’ and teachers’ involvement in entrepreneurship incubator skills projects enhances their appropriate skills and equips them with the necessary knowledge and skills although some students may not be their future interest. Encouraging students and teachers to attend such training as that of the entrepreneurship incubator skills project may help students become confident in decision-making and start planning projects.

Regarding whether knowledge of entrepreneurship incubator skills from the AAF project enhances financial keeping skills. Data in Table 1 indicated that the majority (77%) of the respondents show that the knowledge of entrepreneurship incubator skills was highly needed to a greater extent and a very greater extent whereas a minority (17%) indicated to a moderate extent, (5%) indicated to a small extent and 1% indicated not at all to a statement that knowledge of innovative skills was necessary during implementation of the project. These findings contradicting with the Al Idrus et al., (2019) who revealed that entrepreneurship learning has partially having contribution on students’ entrepreneurial interest. This could mean that, the education skills that students taught was expected to equip youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to start and manage their own life by incorporate entrepreneurship education into their curricula to equip students with employability skills, thereby contributing to job creation and poverty reduction. The study found out knowledge of entrepreneur incubator skills project was necessary for youth since it adds new things which are valuable in the future of the youth’s socio-economic life. Also, the study indicated that the majority of the students were indeed of entrepreneurship knowledge skills that might be used to cope with technological changes and transformation of the developments in using resources sustainably in the society they serve.

Furthermore, when the evaluator questioned teachers it was revealed that the majority of them (85%) responded to a great extent and to a greatest extent that knowledge of entrepreneurship incubator skills project was very important since students will be able to decide their future career whereas a minority (15%) responded to a moderate extent that knowledge of entrepreneurship incubator skills project was very important to students. This study indicated that the entrepreneurship incubator skills project was important even teachers were happy to see their students learn new skills that will help them in their prospects. These findings concurred with those suggested by Mutalemwa, (2021) who concluded that entrepreneurship education skills in the educational system have a positive impact on developing skills required for future employment prospects for students. In addition, success is shown in the behaviour level of the Kirkpatrick model, which entails that students can grow socially and economically once by applying the entrepreneurial skills learned during the training project, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and risk management, in real-life situations. This means that the knowledge of entrepreneurship incubator skills came at the right time fact that youth need to have some additional knowledge to cope with recent employment situations.

When the evaluator on the observation schedule visited one of the alumnae of the project found that the alumna is making barns and selling them around the community in she lives in every day. For the week the alumna is getting the total profits of 11,800/= Tanzanian shillings. These findings indicated that the beneficiaries of the project are now engaged in certain kinds of employment regardless of the employment type. It also implies that in the 21^st Century, skills are highly needed for students which enable them to do different activities that could help them to overcome hardship in their families. These findings concurred with the findings of Nyang’au et al., (2022) in Kisii and Nyamira counties in Kenya who suggested that there is a need to address the relevant issues related to entrepreneurship skills by enhancing the participation of youth in decision-making and the inclusion of feedback. This implies that students who are trained in entrepreneurship skills could be succeeded once they will be involved in the decisions making process so that the project established exists. Therefore, the designed education system was expected to reflect the real-life situations in enhancing transferability of skills to environments basing on the needs of the students at large.

Data in Table 1 illustrates that the moderate majority (93.7%) of the students responded that Entrepreneurship education skills from the Asante Africa Foundation project increase teamwork skills whereas a minority (6.3%) indicated a small extent to the same statement. This implies that the development of the project was best achieved due to the collaboration made between different groups of participants and implementors. This has been also seen during the observation of one of the alumnae who baked snacks at home with her mother. After she completed domestic activities at home she used to involve her mother in roasting snacks and after ensuring the snacks are ready her mother helps to pour them from the saucepan. These findings show the importance of teamwork skills which result in employing the family members. These findings are similar to those of Joensuu-Salo et al., (2021b) who supported that the teamwork, risk-taking and innovativeness ability of the students contributed to the development of students’ entrepreneurial competence. Thus, AAF did a great task of ensuring students acquired different skills which enable them in their future employment prospects.

Data in Table 1 illustrates that the moderate majority (97%) of the students responded that Knowledge of entrepreneurship skills from the AAF project enhances time management skills while the minority (3%) responded to a small extent. This implies that the project was prepared with time and everything that was implemented by the period. Similarly, this has been seen in the document analyzed where there is entrepreneurship incubator skills project scheme indicating the content, topics, objectives, teaching materials and time for each topic to be facilitated. Also, this has happened during training where students were given and did tasks on time. This could mean that the entrepreneurship incubator skills project considers managing time in its implementation of the project. These findings concur with those of Yiga, (2022) who affirm that youth employment will depend on the time students acquire certain skills. Therefore, time management skills are highly needed by the majority of the students which enabled them to perform their activities on time.

Data in Table 1 illustrates that an average mean of 3.86 of the students responded to a moderate extent that knowledge of entrepreneurship skills project by AAF enhances problem-solving skills, team-building skills, self-employment skills and innovative skills. This implies that making students think beyond their limits there is necessary to think about the range of skills that will make the mind of the students deal with the surrounding environment. These findings are in line with the findings of the coordinator that students lack the time to be trained varieties of skills that will enable them to cope with the environment. Similarly, the director of the project affirms that the transfer of mentors makes it difficult to supervise students implementing the skills trained. The findings are similar to those of Ahmed et al., (2022) who supported that entrepreneurship education is a blueprint for employability skills acquisition among students that will make them victuals after graduation. So far, AAF has ensured that students are completed their education level with varieties of skills that enable them to cope with the environment they are coming to.

The overall mean score of all statements was 4.1 (M=4.14). This implies to a great extent number of students agreed that knowledge of entrepreneurship incubator skills projects enhanced youth employment bringing changes to their critical thinking skills, self-confidence skills, problem-solving skills, team building and teamwork skills, self-employment skills, innovative skills, financial planning and keeping skills. These findings entail that skills trained influence students to think widely, fostering their ability to see the range of activities herding them and using them to overcome family’s hardship. The findings are similar to the study of Ahmed et al., (2022) who affirm that entrepreneurship education was a blueprint for employability competence acquisition among students that make them victuals after graduation. Therefore, entrepreneurship knowledge skills are a source of increasing students’ job skills and the great majority of students need entrepreneurship knowledge skills to prepare them to assume their prospects of employment.

The findings are also similar to the Reaction level in the Kirkpatrick evaluation train model which focused on measuring the participants’ initial response to the training project. Responses show that students were conscious and ready to participate in the entrepreneurship skills training, the project was relevance, usefulness, and satisfactory to the majority of the students, and students were able to apply the skills learned during the training project and pursue career paths related to entrepreneurship to their surrounding environments and skills trained such as team building, self-confidence, cognitive, time management, collaboration, problem-solving and creativity skills to mention few shows to have a strong foundation for entrepreneurship and employability. Therefore, the project met the needs and expectations of the participants the fact that the project equipped youth with the necessary skills to succeed in the entrepreneurial field and increase their employability.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Based on the findings, the study concluded that, Asante Africa Foundation’s entrepreneurship skills training has a positive impact on students’ critical thinking and self-confidence. The project was well-prepared with a curriculum document and teaching materials for trainers, and the use of digital tools facilitated effective teaching and learning. All students attended the training and were willing to learn new skills, which emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship education for future employability. The success story of an alumna who dropped out of school and is now able to make a living through phone maintenance highlights the transferability of the skills learned in the training to real-life situations. The findings suggest that entrepreneurship education is a valuable tool for acquiring employability skills and improving job readiness among youth. The project was effective in providing students with cognitive skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, which are essential for success in the modern workplace. Entrepreneurship skills are crucial for youths in developing their employability skills, building self-confidence, and improving cognitive problem-solving and creative skills. The project effectively enhanced students’ critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, risk management, teamwork, time management, and financial planning skills, which are transferable to real-life situations and have a positive impact on socio-economic development. The success of the project is evident in alumnae engaged in different kinds of employment, regardless of the employment type. The importance of teamwork skills in entrepreneurship and involving students in decision-making processes is also highlighted. Overall, the project met the needs and expectations of the participants and equipped them with the necessary skills to succeed in the entrepreneurial field and increase their employability. The study recommends that, governments and educational institutions should incorporate entrepreneurship education into their curricula to equip students with employability skills and improve job readiness among youth. Additionally, the study recommends entrepreneurship education programs should involve real-life situations and be designed to enhance transferable skills that can be applied in various employment types.

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