Entrepreneurial Competencies Required by Secondary School Graduates for Establishing Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

Abstract

Thus study sought to identify the entrepreneurial competencies required by secondary school graduates for establishing small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Abuja. Three research questions were developed and answered in line with the purpose of the study Three hypotheses were also formulated and tested at the probability of 0.05 level of significance at 375 degree of freedom. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The study was carried out in Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils. Sample for the study was 377 made up of 278 secondary school teachers and 99 entrepreneurs. A 27 competency item questionnaire was developed from literature reviewed and had a four (4) point response scale of Highly Needed (HN). Averagely Needed (AN). Slightly Needed (SN) and Not Needed (NN). The questionnaire was face validated by three experts. Reliability of the questionnaire was determined through split half technique and yielded u co¬efficient of 0.78. The questionnaire was administered on 377 respondents. AH the copies of the questionnaire were retrieved and analyzed using weighted mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while l-test statistic was used to test the hypotheses. The result of the study revealed that 22 competencies were required for success in SME enterprises. The study also revealed that there was no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses of secondary’ school teachers and entrepreneurs on competencies required in planning and managing enterprise. It was recommended that the entrepreneurial competencies identified by the study be packaged into a training program for empowering interested secondary school graduates for employment in SMEs.