ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND THEIR ROLES IN FOSTERING SELF-EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AMONG POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS OF BUSINESS EDUCATION
Keywords:
Business Education, Entrepreneurship Skills, Office Technology Management and Skills, Self-Employment.Abstract
The study examined the roles of entrepreneurship and office technology and management (OTM) skills in fostering self-employment opportunities among postgraduate students of business education in Universities in South-West, Nigeria. Two research questions and one null hypothesis guided the study. A quantitative research design was used to achieve the specific aims of the study. The population comprised all postgraduate students of business education in Universities in South-West, Nigeria. A purposive sampling technique was used in selecting a total of 60 postgraduate students of business education, covering Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), Master of Education (M.Ed), Mphil and PhD. Self-developed instrument, titled: “Entrepreneurship and OTM Skills and Self-Employment Opportunities” was used for data collection, with 0.91 reliability coefficient value. Mean was used in answering research questions 1 and 2. Null hypothesis was tested using multiple regression analysis. The analysis revealed that risk taking, ICT, creativity, innovative, accounting, management, resourcefulness, distributive and leadership skills were among the required entrepreneurship skills for self-employment among postgraduates of business education. The analysis also revealed that technology, internet, problem solving, presentation, communication, typing and note-taking thinking, critical, attention-detail, customer service, effective time management, flexibility and adaptability skills were among the required OTM skills for self-employment among postgraduate students of business education. The analysis also revealed a significant relationship between entrepreneurship/OTM skills and self-employment opportunities among postgraduates of business education (r = 0.740, p < .05). The analysis further revealed that about 54% of the variance in self-employment opportunities among postgraduate students of business education was determined by the acquisition of entrepreneurship and OTM skills (54.3%, Adj. R2 = 0.543). The study recommended, among others, that OTM curriculum should be constantly reviewed and updated to accommodate new skills needed by OTM graduates for self-employment.
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