Entrepreneurship training is relevant in a market-driven economy for a number of reasons.
Some of these are:
(a) It develops creativity and innovation that are required for one to take advantage of the business opportunities offered in a market-driven economy;
(b) It exposes students to successful role models and highlights the challenges they have faced and how they have overcome;
(c) It provides students with knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable them to create wealth and jobs in a market-driven economy;
(d) It provides students with confidence to become entrepreneurs in a challenging market environment.
Recommendations for Improving Entrepreneurship Training in Zambia
In order to strengthen entrepreneurship training in Zambia and other African countries there is need to vocationalise general education, set up business incubators in communities, include aspects of psychology of would be and actual entrepreneurs in entrepreneurship training and document best practices in entrepreneurship training in Zambia and other African nations.
Vocationalising General Education
Vocational education and entrepreneurship training needs to be introduced in the general education system. This should be done from nursery school preferably. Introducing entrepreneurship training at an early stage is important for those pupils that may not proceed beyond grades 7, 9 or 12. In addition, entrepreneurship and vocational education when studied much earlier will form a good foundation for trainees that enter the TEVET system at grades 9 or 12.
Establishing Entrepreneurship Development Centres
Trainees need good models for their entrepreneurship training. Entrepreneurship theory needs the backing of business incubators to offer business support and role models to budding entrepreneurs. Zambia has had entrepreneurship development centres in the past. Lessons learnt from the operation of these centres can be used to improve the functioning of the setting up of new ones. These centres should provide all the moral support, technical and business support so that a trainee can have a good start in their enterprise. In addition, training institutions need to be entrepreneurial in their management and how they operate. This acts as a practical living example to trainees who can relate the entrepreneurship theory to what they see in the business management of their institution. Twin Palm Fountain College in Southern Province offers practical business management training to its’ trainees. They are provided with livestock and a garden to grow vegetables which are then sold to the college or the community. The trainees are able to use the funds realised to subside for their tuition fees.
Teaching Psychology in Entrepreneurship Training
The psychological make-up or mindset of an entrepreneur is important in determining whether an entrepreneur will succeed or not. Trainees from various family, educational, tribal and racial backgrounds have different ways of conducting business. As entrepreneurship involves high levels of risk taking and innovation, trainees need to have their mental capacity boosted. Hisrich (2005:20) states that the skills required by entrepreneurs can be classified into three main areas: technical skills, business management skills, and personal entrepreneurial skills. These skills need to be well and consistently taught in order to develop a well-rounded entrepreneur.
Documenting Best Practices in Entrepreneurship Training
Documenting best practices in entrepreneurship training is key to ensuring that trainers have examples that they can emulate.
In Zambia, the Teachers Vocational Training Centre (TVTC) is one of the promising institutions practicing best practices in entrepreneurship training. The centre trains trainers for vocational institutions in Zambia. Entrepreneurship at TVTC has been mainstreamed by:
• Integrating entrepreneurship in college’s curricula
• Developing a diploma in Entrepreneurship
• Designing short tailor-made courses that are both standardized and customized.
TVTC has also converted a conference centre into a fully fledged business centre. The research and consultancy forms the business wing of the college. This is an example of a training institution being entrepreneurial. TVTC also has embarked on having some of it’s trainers undertaking Master’s in Business Administration programme. The college plans to develop an Entrepreneurship Centre which will be a visible structure for trainees to get business incubation. Plans are also underway to develop links with relevant stakeholders.
Conclusion
This article has discussed the relevance of entrepreneurship in a market-driven economy. Recommendations have been made to improve entrepreneurship training in Zambia. These were: vocationalising general education, establishing entrepreneurship development centres, teaching psychology in entrepreneurship training and documenting best practices in entrepreneurship training. In order to ensure that entrepreneurship training is relevant in a market-driven economy there is need to ensure that a holistic curriculum review is undertaken to ensure that entrepreneurship is taught and caught at all levels of the education system. This will then enable students in schools to have strong entrepreneurial capabilities, self reliant, be outward looking and enterprising, so that they take advantage of potential and available opportunities (Government of the Republic of Zambia, 2006:2).
Some of these are:
(a) It develops creativity and innovation that are required for one to take advantage of the business opportunities offered in a market-driven economy;
(b) It exposes students to successful role models and highlights the challenges they have faced and how they have overcome;
(c) It provides students with knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable them to create wealth and jobs in a market-driven economy;
(d) It provides students with confidence to become entrepreneurs in a challenging market environment.
Recommendations for Improving Entrepreneurship Training in Zambia
In order to strengthen entrepreneurship training in Zambia and other African countries there is need to vocationalise general education, set up business incubators in communities, include aspects of psychology of would be and actual entrepreneurs in entrepreneurship training and document best practices in entrepreneurship training in Zambia and other African nations.
Vocationalising General Education
Vocational education and entrepreneurship training needs to be introduced in the general education system. This should be done from nursery school preferably. Introducing entrepreneurship training at an early stage is important for those pupils that may not proceed beyond grades 7, 9 or 12. In addition, entrepreneurship and vocational education when studied much earlier will form a good foundation for trainees that enter the TEVET system at grades 9 or 12.
Establishing Entrepreneurship Development Centres
Trainees need good models for their entrepreneurship training. Entrepreneurship theory needs the backing of business incubators to offer business support and role models to budding entrepreneurs. Zambia has had entrepreneurship development centres in the past. Lessons learnt from the operation of these centres can be used to improve the functioning of the setting up of new ones. These centres should provide all the moral support, technical and business support so that a trainee can have a good start in their enterprise. In addition, training institutions need to be entrepreneurial in their management and how they operate. This acts as a practical living example to trainees who can relate the entrepreneurship theory to what they see in the business management of their institution. Twin Palm Fountain College in Southern Province offers practical business management training to its’ trainees. They are provided with livestock and a garden to grow vegetables which are then sold to the college or the community. The trainees are able to use the funds realised to subside for their tuition fees.
Teaching Psychology in Entrepreneurship Training
The psychological make-up or mindset of an entrepreneur is important in determining whether an entrepreneur will succeed or not. Trainees from various family, educational, tribal and racial backgrounds have different ways of conducting business. As entrepreneurship involves high levels of risk taking and innovation, trainees need to have their mental capacity boosted. Hisrich (2005:20) states that the skills required by entrepreneurs can be classified into three main areas: technical skills, business management skills, and personal entrepreneurial skills. These skills need to be well and consistently taught in order to develop a well-rounded entrepreneur.
Documenting Best Practices in Entrepreneurship Training
Documenting best practices in entrepreneurship training is key to ensuring that trainers have examples that they can emulate.
In Zambia, the Teachers Vocational Training Centre (TVTC) is one of the promising institutions practicing best practices in entrepreneurship training. The centre trains trainers for vocational institutions in Zambia. Entrepreneurship at TVTC has been mainstreamed by:
• Integrating entrepreneurship in college’s curricula
• Developing a diploma in Entrepreneurship
• Designing short tailor-made courses that are both standardized and customized.
TVTC has also converted a conference centre into a fully fledged business centre. The research and consultancy forms the business wing of the college. This is an example of a training institution being entrepreneurial. TVTC also has embarked on having some of it’s trainers undertaking Master’s in Business Administration programme. The college plans to develop an Entrepreneurship Centre which will be a visible structure for trainees to get business incubation. Plans are also underway to develop links with relevant stakeholders.
Conclusion
This article has discussed the relevance of entrepreneurship in a market-driven economy. Recommendations have been made to improve entrepreneurship training in Zambia. These were: vocationalising general education, establishing entrepreneurship development centres, teaching psychology in entrepreneurship training and documenting best practices in entrepreneurship training. In order to ensure that entrepreneurship training is relevant in a market-driven economy there is need to ensure that a holistic curriculum review is undertaken to ensure that entrepreneurship is taught and caught at all levels of the education system. This will then enable students in schools to have strong entrepreneurial capabilities, self reliant, be outward looking and enterprising, so that they take advantage of potential and available opportunities (Government of the Republic of Zambia, 2006:2).
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