Entrepreneurship Education and Training In Kerala Prospects and challenges

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is globally recognised as a key engine of economic growth, job creation, and innovation. Many enterprises fail due to a lack of entrepreneurial traits and competencies, which stem from the entrepreneur’s mindset—some of which are inherent, while others are acquired through experience and training. Entrepreneurship involves creating an enterprise by applying one’s knowledge, skills, and competencies. To instil these abilities and promote entrepreneurial growth, the Honourable Prime Minister launched several initiatives and established the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Consequently, numerous training agencies and institutions have been set up to impart entrepreneurial competencies and provide mentoring support to enhance business performance. The overarching aim of this research is to explore how effectively these training initiatives motivate, prepare, and enable individuals to start and sustain business ventures, while also providing deeper insights into the challenges that hinder business creation. The specific objectives of the study are: (1) to examine the mediating role of entrepreneurial intention in the relationship between pre-training expectations and firm performance; (2) to investigate how entrepreneurial education and training mediate the relationship between pre-training expectations and firm performance; (3) to identify the influence of personality traits on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention, and to assess how self-efficacy further contributes to the formation of entrepreneurial intention; (4) to analyse how entrepreneurial barriers shape entrepreneurial intention, and to evaluate the role of contextual support and contextual barriers in influencing firm performance; and (5) to evaluate the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education and training programmes in Kerala by assessing lecturer competency, perceived relevance and adequacy of the curriculum, and entrepreneurial competence among participants. The present study employs both descriptive and analytical research designs. Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire administered to trainees. The study population comprised 2,887 entrepreneurs from six selected districts (Thrissur, Palakkad, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki, and Wayanad) who attended the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) organised by District Industrial Centres (DICs) between 2016 and 2022, and successfully established and operated a micro-enterprise for a minimum of two years. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 24.0. Tools such as Exploratory Factor Analysis, mean, standard deviation, one-sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were employed to examine complex relationships among variables. The study found that entrepreneurial intention partially mediates the relationship between pre-training expectations and firm performance, and that this relationship is further strengthened by entrepreneurship education and training. Personality traits and self-efficacy significantly shaped entrepreneurial intention, while contextual support positively influenced firm performance and contextual barriers hindered it. The results also indicated that lecturer competency, curriculum relevance, and entrepreneurial competence significantly enhance the effectiveness of entrepreneurial training programmes. Overall, the study contributes to both theory and practice by clarifying how training, psychological traits, and contextual conditions shape entrepreneurial intention and firm performance. Its insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers and training institutions in refining curricula, improving trainer competency, and addressing contextual barriers to promote sustainable entrepreneurial