Entrepreneurship career choice and its influencing factors among the graduates of diploma in fashion and design from university of Padang, Indonesia

Abstract

This paper discusses the reasons why graduates from the Fashion and Design Department, Faculty of Engineering, university of Padang Indonesia chose to become entrepreneurs. In addition, what are the influencing factors for that. A survey design was used. The total population of graduates from the department who graduated from the program in ten years duration were involved. They were only 218 of them. Findings show that the majority of those graduates were entrepreneurs followed by working at industries. From the percentage who were entrepreneurs, the main reason for choosing the career was to apply knowledge they had learned compared to those who work at industries was they thought that the skills they had learned is more suitable to be workers. On the other hand, parents was the most influencing factor for those who chose to become entrepreneurs as compared to those wo work at industries was influenced by their own choice. These findings implied that lecturers and the curriculum of the program did not play much role in influencing those graduates to become entrepreneurs. Thus, much has to be done to redesign the curriculum and retraining the lecturers for this purpose.