Journal of Hotel and Business Management
Open Access

Abstract

Breaking the Psychological Ceiling and Seizing Opportunities from Entrepreneurship A Case of Youth Graduates in Rwanda

Laurance Ingabire

Entrepreneurship holds greater potential to address youth employment in many countries. The strategic focus on empowering youth with skills and finance to startup up businesses enterprises is yet to yield the much needed returns. This article leverages on a study which explored the psychological preparedness of the youth towards entrepreneurship with focus on ascertaining whether the youth exhibit the desired entrepreneurship traits entrepreneurship. Secondly, the analysis established the effect of the youth entrepreneurship traits on youth entrepreneurship. Empirical evidence derives from data collected on a randomly selected sample of 169 youth graduates in Technical and Vocational (TVET) in Kamonyi District Rwanda. A triangulation with the views of key stakeholders in promotion of skills development for entrepreneurship was done. Findings reveal that, despite the significance of the youth’s psychological mindset to entrepreneurship, they lack desirable entrepreneur traits i.e personal traits and motivational attributes to venture into businesses. Their mindset remains tuned to searching for jobs which are scarce or for which they lack a competitive advantage. This article provides an alternative dimension of empowering youth beyond the technical and soft skills acquired from vocational training. Interventions to empower youth for entrepreneurship and employment need to focus on orienting them psychologically to gain entrepreneur traits.

Published Date: 2021-01-29; Received Date: 2021-01-23