The role of village polytechnics in Entreprenneurship development: A Tracer study of graduates of Karurumo Village Polytechnic, Embu County

Abstract

It is estimated that over 61% (6,710,000) youths aged between 15-35 years are jobless and living below poverty line (Census report, 2009). About 92% of these youth lack vocational or professional skills training demanded by our agricultural based economy. The general objective of the study was to trace the graduates of Karurumo village polytechnic in the labor market and analyze their contribution to entrepreneurship development in Kenya. The study used descriptive survey design. The target population was 325 former graduates from Karurumo youth polytechnic who graduated between 2003 and 2012 with a sample size of 20% of the target population leading to 65 respondents. The data collected was analyzed using correlation matrix and multi regression analysis to establish the relationships between independent and dependent variable. The results revealed that vocational skills acquired, business enterprises started, innovations started and what graduates do after graduation separately contributed significantly to entrepreneurship development. The analysis further revealed that polytechnic graduates are making significant contributions in the labour market either as workers in business or in self-employment. The study recommends that there is need for strategic positioning of youth polytechnic education in the map of technical education in the country through diversification of the economy and upgrading of youth polytechnic in such a way that there are able to meet the demands of labour markets and skills acquisition. It also recommends that business skills courses taken in the youth polytechnics be strengthened and made more responsive and functional to enable the graduates of the polytechnics start business enterprise’s and do business in a better, faster, less costly way and create new technologies in the markets. Lastly, the study recommends youth polytechnic be made more innovative and creative to enable them to prepare their graduates to introduce new products in the markets, new services and even open new markets both in the rural and urban center’s after graduation. This will prepare the graduates to be change agents and mobilize resources to establish small and micro enterprise’s and create more employment opportunities for economic development in Kenya