Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Exploring the Entrepreneurial Knowledge, Skills, and Mindset of Jordanian University Engineering Graduates to Enhance Career Prospects


Affiliations
1 Dept. of Business Administration, Princess Sumaya University for Technology PSUT, Amman, Jordan
2 Civil Engineer and a Masters of Business Entrepreneurship Student, Jordan
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


This study examined the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills of engineering graduates and the entrepreneurial mindset of engineers. It also examined how entrepreneurial knowledge and skills affect the mindset of the entrepreneurial engineer. The study population consists of twenty-five Jordanian public and private universities that offer engineering programs. Based on the results of an overview of the engineering study plans of these universities, four universities were selected (The University of Jordan, Princess Sumaya University for Technology, Al- Hussein Technical University, Al-Hussein Technical University, Al-Ahliyya Amman University). The total number of engineering graduates participating in this study and whose responses were valid for the analysis was 65 students who graduated between 2016 and 2022. The results of this study indicated that the average entrepreneurial knowledge and skills of engineering graduates ranged between average and good. The findings also indicated that there is a statistically significant positive correlation between the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills of engineering graduates and their entrepreneurial mindset. The study concluded that it is essential for undergraduate engineering students to acquire entrepreneurial knowledge and skills that support their engineering major, and lead them to think broadly about their future careers and opportunities. Thus, entrepreneurial knowledge and skills enhance their competitiveness in innovative and rapidly emerging engineering industries. The study recommended the inclusion of entrepreneurship knowledge and skills in all engineering curricula and courses in universities.

Keywords

Business Entrepreneurship; Engineering; Jordanian Universities.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Akpochafo, G. O., & Alika, I. H. (2018). Percei ved Impac t of Entre preneurship Education on C areer Development among Undergraduates in South-South Universities in Nigeria: I mplication for Counselling. Journal of Education and Learning, 7(3), 102-108.
  • Baciu, E. L., Vîrgă, D., & Lazăr, T. A. (2020). What Characteristics Help Entrepreneurs 'Make It'Early on in Their Entrepreneurial Careers? Findings of a Regional Study from R omania. Sustainability, 12(12), 5028.
  • Barba-Sánchez, V., & Atienza-Sahuquillo, C. (2018). Entrepreneurial intention among e=ngineering students : The role of entrepreneurship education. European research on m anagement and business economics, 24(1), 53-61.
  • Bruce R. Barringer, B. R., & Ireland, R. D. (19018). Entrepreneurship: Successfully Launching New Vent ures. 6th edition. 9781292255330. Pearson.
  • Blake Hylton, J., Mikesell, D., Yoder, J. D., & LeBlanc, H. (2020). Working to instill the entrepreneurial mindset across the curriculum. Entrepreneurship Education and P edagogy, 3(1), 86-106.
  • Bosman, L. & Fernhaber, S. (2018). Teaching the entrepreneurial mindset to engineers. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
  • Byers, T., Seel ig, T., Sheppard, S., & Weilerstein, P. (2013). Its role in engineering education. T he Bridge, 43(2), 35-40.
  • Cheng, Y. M., Wang, K., & Lee, I. K. (2018). Application of engineering education in entrepreneurship construction system. Eurasia Journal of mathematics science and Technology Education, 14(6), 2185-2191.
  • Dao, C. T. (2018). A proposal for improving entrepreneurship education for engineering students i n Vietnam. Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research, 7, 12-19.
  • Duval-Couetil, N., Reed-Rhoads, T., & Haghighi, S. (2012). Engineering students and entrepreneurship education: Involvement, attitudes and outcomes. International Journal o f Engineering Education, 28(2), 425.
  • Holzmann, P., Hartlieb, E., & Roth, M. (2018). From Enginer to Entrepreneur - Entrepreneurship E ducation for Engineering Students: The Case of the Entrepreneurial Campus V illach. International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy (IJEP), 8(3), 28-39.
  • Huang-Saad, A., Bodnar, C., & Carberry, A. (2020). Exami ning cur rent practice in engineering e ntrepreneurship education. Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, 3(1), 4-13.
  • KritiKoS, A. S. (2014). Entrepreneurs and their impact on jobs and economic growth. IZA World o f Labor.
  • Karim, M. S. A. (2016). Entrepreneurship education in an engineering curriculum. Procedia E conomics and Finance, 35, 379-387.
  • McGrath, R. G., & MacMillan, I. C. (2000). The entrepreneurial mindset: Strategies for continuously creating opportunity in an age of uncertainty (Vol. 284). Harvard Business P ress.
  • Newport, C. L., & Elms, D. G. (1997). Effective engineers. International Journal of Engineering Education, 13(5), 325-332.
  • Rodrigues, R. G., Dinis, A., do Paço, A., Ferreira, J., & Raposo, M. (2012). The effect of an e ntrepreneurial training programme on entrepreneurial traits and intention of secondary students. Entrepreneurship–Born, made and educated, 77-92.
  • Rodriguez, J., Chen, H. L., Sheppard, S., Leifer, L., & Jin, Q. (2015). Exploring the interest and intention of entrepreneurship in engineering alumni. In 2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition (pp. 26-738).
  • Roy, N., Schlosser, F., & Pasek, Z. (2020). Stimulating entrepreneurial interest in engineers t hrough an exper ienti al and multidisciplinary course collaboration. Entrepreneurship E ducation and Pedagogy, 3(1), 14-40.
  • Saral, H., & Alpkan, L. (2019). Differences in Entrepreneurial Intention and Characteristics according to Demographics and Other Factors.
  • Shekhar, P., & Huang-Saad, A. (2021). Examining engineering students' participation in e ntrepreneurship education programs: implications for practice. International Journal of S TEM Education, 8(1), 1-15.
  • Treanor, L. (2012). Entrepreneurship education: Exploring the gender dimension: A gender and enterprise network, hea sponsored, discussion workshop. International Journal of Gender a nd Entrepreneurship.
  • Vesper, K. H., & Gartner, W. B. (1997). Measuring progress in entrepreneurship education. J ournal of Business venturing, 12(5), 403-421.
  • Vij, V., & Ball, S. (2010). Exploring the impact of entrepreneurship education on university nonbusiness undergraduates. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 9(1), 86-109.
  • Vodă, A. I., & Florea, N. (2019). Impact of personality traits and entrepreneurship education on e ntrepreneurial intentions of business and engineering students . Sustainability, 11(4), 1 192.
  • Wood, M. T., Gadd, K., & Falkenburg, D. (2004). Entrepreneurship for engineers. I n VentureWell. Proceedings of Open, the Annual Conference (p. 131). National C ollegiate Inventors & Innovators Alliance.

Abstract Views: 100

PDF Views: 1




  • Exploring the Entrepreneurial Knowledge, Skills, and Mindset of Jordanian University Engineering Graduates to Enhance Career Prospects

Abstract Views: 100  |  PDF Views: 1

Authors

Khleef A. Alkhawaldeh
Dept. of Business Administration, Princess Sumaya University for Technology PSUT, Amman, Jordan
Yana M. Dabaghie
Civil Engineer and a Masters of Business Entrepreneurship Student, Jordan

Abstract


This study examined the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills of engineering graduates and the entrepreneurial mindset of engineers. It also examined how entrepreneurial knowledge and skills affect the mindset of the entrepreneurial engineer. The study population consists of twenty-five Jordanian public and private universities that offer engineering programs. Based on the results of an overview of the engineering study plans of these universities, four universities were selected (The University of Jordan, Princess Sumaya University for Technology, Al- Hussein Technical University, Al-Hussein Technical University, Al-Ahliyya Amman University). The total number of engineering graduates participating in this study and whose responses were valid for the analysis was 65 students who graduated between 2016 and 2022. The results of this study indicated that the average entrepreneurial knowledge and skills of engineering graduates ranged between average and good. The findings also indicated that there is a statistically significant positive correlation between the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills of engineering graduates and their entrepreneurial mindset. The study concluded that it is essential for undergraduate engineering students to acquire entrepreneurial knowledge and skills that support their engineering major, and lead them to think broadly about their future careers and opportunities. Thus, entrepreneurial knowledge and skills enhance their competitiveness in innovative and rapidly emerging engineering industries. The study recommended the inclusion of entrepreneurship knowledge and skills in all engineering curricula and courses in universities.

Keywords


Business Entrepreneurship; Engineering; Jordanian Universities.

References