An Empirical Study of the Influence of Continuing Education on Youth Entrepreneurship in Taiwan

Abstract

Despite the importance of lifelong education and its reported benefits for graduates entering the workforce, few empirical studies have evaluated the relationship between continuing education on entrepreneurship. In order to address this research gap, this study conducted secondary data analysis from the 2015 Adult Education Survey in Taiwan (AEST 2015) conducted by the Taiwan Ministry of Education. The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of youth engaged in entrepreneurship (as measured by self-employment) and evaluate the relationship between continuing education and youth entrepreneurship. A sample from Taiwan was purposefully selected due to cultural factors which balance Eastern and Western approaches to education, allowing for better generalizability to a variety of populations. Data from a total of 2,696 valid participants was utilized. The results are as follows: a) the rate of youth entrepreneurship in Taiwan is moderate, at 8%; b) participation in continuing education demonstrated no significant relationship on youth entrepreneurship; c) entrepreneurial youth tend not to participate in continuing education, citing reasons including “lack of time” and “lack of necessary courses” at a frequency higher than non-entrepreneurial youth; and d) in terms of opportunities for future participation in continuing education, entrepreneurial youth placed less emphasis on the importance of transportation costs and tuition fees as compared to non-entrepreneurial youths. The results of this study suggest that continuing education courses are not currently meeting the needs of young entrepreneurs. Conclusions and suggestions are provided in terms of the evaluation of youth self-employment and continuing education opportunities for the promotion of entrepreneurship.