Knowledge, skills, and attitudes for entrepreneurship among young university students at a Mexican institution

Abstract

The objective of this investigation was to identify the entrepreneurial knowledge, skills and attitudes of young university students next to graduate from a Higher Education Institution in southern Mexico. The methodology employed followed a qualitative approach with an exploratory, descriptive and explanatory scope. A review was made of the content of each of the subjects that make up the curriculum of the bachelor's degree that the young women are taking, in order to identify the knowledge and skills that university education allows them to acquire and develop. A survey was applied to female students in their last semester of a bachelor's degree in the of a bachelor's degree in the economic-administrative area. The head of the degree program was interviewed to find out what changes have been made in the curriculum and what extracurricular activities are carried out and if these include the promotion of entrepreneurship among the students. The results of the investigation show that the career curriculum covers the main areas of knowledge and skills that according to the literature an entrepreneurs should have. However, it was found that it is necessary to strengthen within their formation, activities with a gender perspective that provide them with greater self-confidence. Although they show interest in creating businesses, female students face fear of risk and failure and doubt their capacity to develop business ideas and put them into practice.