SOCIAL MEDIA AS A CATALYST FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL LEARNING AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR NIGERIAN GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY
Keywords:
Career prospects, Entrepreneurial learning, Graduate employability, Skill development, Social media.Abstract
Social media platforms have become effective instruments in the current digital era, not only for
networking and communication but also for learning and developing entrepreneurial skills. This
study focused on the implications of social media as a catalyst for entrepreneurial learning and
skill development for Nigerian graduate employability. Two research hypotheses guided the study.
A descriptive survey research design was employed in the study. The population of the study also
used as the sample was 300 graduates and entrepreneurs from different industries in Nigeria.
Online platforms were used for instrument administration and data collection for the study. The
data collected were analysed using basic linear regression analysis. The results showed that
social media platforms significantly influence the development of entrepreneurial learning and
skill (R2 = 0.702, Adj R2 = 0.701, p = 0.000 < 0.05) and that entrepreneurial learning and skill
development, facilitated by social media, significantly influence graduate employability (R2
= 0.533, Adj R2 = 0.532, p = 0.000 < 0.05). The study concludes that incorporating social media
utilisation skills into the entrepreneurship curriculum at Nigerian universities can enhance
undergraduates’ entrepreneurial aspirations to start their businesses by giving them the
information and abilities needed to succeed in the current digital era. Based on these research
findings, it was recommended that to improve the career prospects of Nigerian graduates, the
students should leverage social media platforms for entrepreneurial learning, skill development,
and career advancement opportunities, by incorporating social media training into their
curricula to prepare them for the paradigm shift in the digital economy.
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