ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS TRAINING ON STUDENTS’ EMPLOYABILITY AND ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTIONS: A CASE STUDY OF GOMBE STATE POLYTECHNIC, BAJOGA.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The persistent challenge of graduate unemployment and underemployment is a critical socio-economic issue across Nigeria, including Gombe State. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions like polytechnics were established to produce middle-level manpower with practical skills for direct entry into the workforce or self-employment. The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) mandated entrepreneurship development as a compulsory course for all programmes to equip graduates with the skills and mindset for job creation. Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga, as a key TVET institution in the North-Eastern region, implements this curriculum with the aim of altering graduate outcomes from job-seeking to job-creating. However, the specific effectiveness of this training in achieving its stated objectives—fostering entrepreneurial skills, intentions, and employability—within this unique institutional and regional context remains inadequately assessed. This study, therefore, seeks to investigate the impact of this mandatory entrepreneurial skills training on the students of Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Despite the institutionalization of entrepreneurship education in Nigerian polytechnics, a significant gap persists between the policy objectives and the observable outcomes among graduates. Many graduates of Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga, still face difficulties in securing wage employment and demonstrate low rates of venture creation, suggesting that the current entrepreneurial training may not be fully effective. The problem is that there is insufficient empirical evidence to determine the extent to which the entrepreneurial skills training at Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga, is achieving its core aims. Specific dimensions of this problem include: an unclear understanding of how the training translates into tangible entrepreneurial competencies; uncertainty about its influence on students' intentions to start businesses; and a lack of data on its contribution to students' perceived employability. Without a systematic investigation into these areas, the institution cannot make evidence-based decisions to enhance its curriculum and pedagogy, potentially leaving graduates ill-prepared for the economic realities of Gombe State and Nigeria at large.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of this study is to assess the effect of entrepreneurial skills training on students at Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga.
To achieve this aim, the following specific objectives have been formulated:
Objective Number Specific Objective
1 To examine the structure, content, and delivery methods of the entrepreneurial skills training programme at Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga.
2 To assess the level of entrepreneurial skills acquired by students as a result of the training.
3 To evaluate the influence of the training on students' entrepreneurial intentions and self-efficacy.
4 To analyze the impact of the training on students' perceptions of their own employability.
5 To identify the challenges and constraints associated with the delivery and effectiveness of the training programme.
1.4 Research Questions
This study is guided by the following research questions:
1. How is the entrepreneurial skills training programme structured and delivered at Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga?
2. To what extent has the training led to the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills among students?
3. What is the influence of the training on students' entrepreneurial intentions and self-efficacy?
4. How does the training affect students' perceptions of their employability?
5. What are the major challenges hindering the effectiveness of the entrepreneurial skills training at the institution?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study is significant for several stakeholders:
• For Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga: The findings will provide critical, evidence-based feedback for curriculum review, pedagogical improvement, and resource allocation for the entrepreneurship development programme.
• For Students: It will highlight the value of the training and identify skill gaps, empowering them to better leverage the programme for future self-employment or employment.
• For Policymakers (NBTE, State Ministry of Education): The study will offer empirical data to inform broader policy reviews on entrepreneurship education within the Nigerian TVET system.
• For Academic Literature: It will contribute to the body of knowledge on entrepreneurship education, particularly within the under-researched context of Nigerian polytechnics in the North-East region.
• For the Local Economy: By potentially leading to a more effective training programme, the study could contribute to fostering a more entrepreneurial graduate population, thereby stimulating local economic development and job creation in Gombe State.
1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study
Scope:
• Content Scope: The study focuses on the effect of formal entrepreneurial skills training on skill acquisition, entrepreneurial intention, self-efficacy, and perceived employability.
• Geographical and Institutional Scope: The research is limited to Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga.
• Population Scope: The study targets ND II and HND II students who have completed the mandatory entrepreneurship courses, as well as lecturers involved in delivering the training.
Limitations:
• The study relies on self-reported data from students (e.g., on skills and intentions), which may be subject to bias.
• It measures entrepreneurial intention and perceived employability, which are precursors to, but not guarantees of, actual entrepreneurial behaviour or job acquisition.
• Generalizability of findings may be limited to polytechnics with similar characteristics in Northern Nigeria. The methodology chapter will detail steps to mitigate these limitations, such as triangulation of data sources -10.
1.7 Operational Definition of Key Terms
• Entrepreneurial Skills Training (EST): The compulsory curriculum and pedagogical activities designed by Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga, to impart business knowledge (hard skills) and entrepreneurial attitudes like creativity and risk-taking (soft skills).
• Entrepreneurial Intention: A student's conscious cognitive state and self-acknowledged conviction to start a new business venture in the future -5.
• Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy: A student's belief in their own ability to successfully perform the various tasks and roles associated with entrepreneurship.
• Perceived Employability: A student's subjective perception of their own capacity to obtain and maintain sustainable employment, either through securing a job or creating one.
• TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training): Education and training which provides knowledge and skills for employment, in this context, exemplified by the diploma programmes offered at Gombe State Polytechnic.
1.8 Organization of the Study
This research project is organized into five chapters:
• Chapter One (Introduction): Provides the background, problem statement, aims, and scope of the study (this chapter).
• Chapter Two (Literature Review): Presents a critical review of relevant theoretical and empirical literature, leading to the identified research gap and conceptual framework.
• Chapter Three (Research Methodology): Details the research design, philosophy, population, sampling, data collection instruments, and methods of data analysis, justifying all choices made -1-10.
• Chapter Four (Data Presentation, Analysis and Discussion): Presents the analyzed data and discusses the findings in relation to the research questions and existing literature.
• Chapter Five (Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations): Summarizes the study, states conclusions based on findings, and offers practical recommendations for the institution and future research.

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
This chapter presents a comprehensive review of existing scholarly literature relevant to the core theme of this study:the effect of entrepreneurial skills training (EST) within the context of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), specifically polytechnics, using Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga as a case study. The review is structured to establish a theoretical foundation, clarify key concepts, examine empirical findings from previous studies, and ultimately identify the research gap that this study seeks to fill. It traverses the global discourse on entrepreneurship education, narrows down to African and Nigerian contexts, and critically assesses the unique position of polytechnics in fostering entrepreneurial graduate outcomes. By synthesizing and critiquing existing knowledge, this chapter provides the necessary framework for understanding the problem, justifies the research methodology, and sets the stage for data analysis and discussion.
2.2 Theoretical Framework
The investigation into the impact of entrepreneurial skills training is anchored in several robust theoretical paradigms.These theories provide explanatory power for how training translates into skills, attitudes, intentions, and ultimately, behaviour.
Theoretical Framework
Three interlocking theories provide the foundational lens for this study.
• Human Capital Theory (Becker, 1964) frames EST as an investment that augments students' stock of productive knowledge and skills (entrepreneurial human capital), thereby increasing their potential for venture creation and employability.

    Date: 2026-08-02 00:00:00.000000