FEMALE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING MENTORING FOR SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Abstract

Many universities in Pakistan offer entrepreneurship courses as per HEC guidelines. These entrepreneurship courses are well designed to encourage Pakistani graduates to consider entrepreneurship as future career choice. However, they lack one crucial element which has great relevance to entrepreneurial success. This missing link is mentoring for undergraduates who aspire to be entrepreneurs. The study focuses on exploring the perception of female graduate students regarding Mentoring and benefits of incorporating it in the Entrepreneurship course. The study is a qualitative exploratory research. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 female graduate students who have studied the entrepreneurship course, from 3 cities of Pakistan. Data was analyzed through inductive Thematic Analysis. Findings suggest that females undergraduate students’ need mentoring during the entrepreneurship course. The study suggests that incorporation of mentoring in entrepreneurship course would be beneficial for female students as it will help them in their personal and professional development.