DETERMINANTS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTS AMONG ENGINEERING STUDENTS: INSIGHTS FROM THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DARES SALAAM, TANZANIA

This paper aims to investigate the determinants of entrepreneurial intentions among engineering students at the College of Engineering and Technology (CoET) in the University of Dar es Salaam. Understanding the factors influencing students intends to pursue entrepreneurial actions, the paper addresses the insights to adopt entrepreneurial attitudes built within engineering curricula that emphasized determinants to nurture entrepreneurial intentions among university students across different degree specializations. Demographic characteristics such as gender, family background, attitude, entrepreneurial support, and learning from role models were considered. Primary data was collected through structured questionnaires and secondary data was from the internet, journals, and books. A total of 124 (82.67%) questionnaires were duly filled out and returned. Data was analysed using SPSS V.25 to conduct descriptive and inferential statistics. Generally, the need for independence is the key factor in the entrepreneurial intent of future engineers. The study revealed that most students had entrepreneurial intentions emanating from attitudinal factors such as creativity, leadership, locus of control, the need for achievement, and government entrepreneurial support. Both age and family background have insignificant influence on entrepreneurial intention among engineering students. It is recommended that, various agents have to be involved in increasing the promotion towards the creation of business enterprises and encouraging more female students to enroll in engineering studies.