Abstract

Graduate unemployment remains a significant issue in the context of globalization. Recognizing the need to enhance graduate employability and foster economic resilience, the Durban University of Technology (DUT) has prioritized entrepreneurship within its strategic framework, aligning with its Envision-2030 goals. This study investigates the entrepreneurial intentions of final-year diploma in Business Administration students in DUT's Faculty of Management Sciences, focusing on the influence of psychological characteristics and the mediating role of attitudinal factors in shaping these intentions. The study targets final-year diploma students from DUT's Faculty of Management Sciences, aiming to understand the drivers of entrepreneurial intentions within this population. A survey of 136 students employed Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as a framework, examining the impact of psychological traits on entrepreneurial intentions. Constructs such as attitudes toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control were analysed as mediating variables. Data were analysed through regression analysis to validate hypothesized relationships. The findings show significant correlations between psychological characteristics and entrepreneurial intentions, with attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control mediating these relationships. The results underscore the importance of attitudinal factors in predicting entrepreneurial intent among students. If we are to address graduate unemployment and foster economic resilience we need to harness the potential of entrepreneurship education amongst university students. Recommendations include integrating practical, experiential learning into the curriculum and enhancing mentorship opportunities to cultivate entrepreneurial competencies. The policy implications and suggestions for future research are also discussed.

Keywords: Entrepreneurial intentions, Theory of planned behaviour, Graduate unemployment, Entrepreneurship education, Attitudinal factors, Psychological characteristics