CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES FACING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN SOUTH AFRICA

Purpose - The study investigates some of the interventions which have been introduced by the South African government through its various agencies (Sector Education Training Authorities or SETA, for example) to support youth entrepreneurship and explore the challenges these agencies face, namely policy development, operational and pedagogic impediments. Design/methodology/approach - The approach used to collect data was twofold; first desk research was conducted on selected work in the area of entrepreneurial education and training. The second source of information was from empirical investigations on the impact made by the various Sector Education Training Authorities (SETAs) in supporting small, medium and micro enterprises (SME) levy payers in skills development. In addition to the information from SETAs, data are also used from impact assessment studies conducted for the South African Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Science and Technology. Findings - The study found that there are no inter-disciplinary approaches in entrepreneurship training that make entrepreneurship education accessible to all students, and where appropriate, create teams for the development and exploitation of business ideas. Another finding is the fact that business/engineering students with different backgrounds are not connected. Originality/value - This study has explored the nature of youth entrepreneurial education development through well-designed entrepreneurial development efforts. An appropriate scheme in terms of cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit around training and concentrating efforts on supporting the growth of new ventures is suggested.