Factors Affecting Entrepreneurial Intentions; the Perceived Role of Vocational Guides

Entrepreneurship has recently captured global attention, especially among students, trainees, and fresh graduates. Vocational guides provide students and graduates with career development by describing essential information about occupational opportunities and the associated required entrepreneurial qualifications. This study analyzes the impacts of the contextual factors of the perceived role of vocational guides on the entrepreneurial intentions of students and graduates from technical colleges in Saudi Arabia. This study discusses the weak perceived role of vocational guides in Saudi Arabia, which negatively affects entrepreneurial intentions and the new entrepreneurship policies in the country. This study used a quantitative approach with a sample consisting of students at technical colleges in Saudi Arabia. This study contributes to identify new factors affecting the entrepreneurial intentions of students. The results show that four factors of the perceived role of vocational guides (college-wide activities, individual planning, responsive services, and system support) have a positive effect on the entrepreneurial intentions of students and graduates in the country. Thus, these factors should be considered when establishing future entrepreneurial plans in Saudi Arabia.