INFLUENCE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION ON THE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS OF UNDERGRADUATE SOCIAL STUDIES STUDENTS IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, ZARIA, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of entrepreneurship education on the employability skills of undergraduate Social Studies students at the Federal University of Education, Zaria, Nigeria. The research aimed to determine the extent to which entrepreneurship education enhances creative thinking and financial literacy skills among these students. A correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 308 undergraduate Social Studies students. A sample size of 171 was determined using the Research Advisors (2006) formula. A structured questionnaire, titled "Entrepreneurship Education and Employability Skills Questionnaire (EEESQ)," was used for data collection and validated by experts. The reliability of the instrument was established using the Cronbach Alpha method, yielding a coefficient of 0.85. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) to answer the research questions, while Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was used to test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between entrepreneurship education and the development of creative thinking skills. Similarly, a significant positive relationship was found between entrepreneurship education and the enhancement of financial literacy skills among the students. The study concludes that entrepreneurship education is a vital component in developing crucial employability skills necessary for the modern workforce. It was recommended, among other things, that university management should strengthen the practical components of entrepreneurship courses and create more platforms for students to apply learned skills in real-world scenarios.