EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF SUSTAINABILITY WORKSHOPS, COURSES, AND MENTORSHIPON GRADUATES' INTENTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN KATSINA STATE

Abstract

The burgeoning field of sustainable entrepreneurship has garnered significant interest, particularly in its potential to
address environmental and social challenges through innovative business practices. This quantitative study
investigates the impact of sustainability-focused workshops, courses, and mentorship on graduates' intentions for
sustainable entrepreneurship in Katsina State, Nigeria. A stratified random sample of 367 final-year students from
three universities participated in the study. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM),
the results show significant positive relationships between sustainability education and graduates' intentions for
sustainable entrepreneurship. Specifically, participation in sustainability workshops (β = 0.470, p = 0.000), taking
sustainability courses (β = 0.121, p = 0.003), and receiving sustainability mentorship (β = 0.390, p = 0.000)
significantly influence graduates' intentions. The study's findings support the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB),
highlighting the importance of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control in shaping
entrepreneurial intentions. The results have profound implications for practice, policy, and education, emphasizing
the need for integrated sustainability education in entrepreneurship curricula, supportive ecosystems, and
experiential learning opportunities. The study contributes to the literature on sustainable entrepreneurship, providing
empirical evidence on the effectiveness of sustainability education in fostering entrepreneurial intentions among
Nigerian graduates. The findings inform policymakers, educators, and entrepreneurs on strategies to cultivate
sustainable entrepreneurship, driving innovation, environmental responsibility, and sustainable business
development. Future research should build on this study by exploring longitudinal effects, comparative geographical
contexts, and in-depth mechanisms to overcome limitations of geographical focus and self-reported data.