Industry 5.0 Competencies and Entrepreneurship Development in Technical and Vocational Education

Author: Dr. Reuben Balami Ali and Babagana Ali Dapshima

Published On: 2026-08-12

DOI: https://doi.org/10.70127/irjedt.vol.9.issue08.325

The transition toward Industry 5.0 necessitates a paradigm shift in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to foster human-centric, sustainable, and resilient entrepreneurship. This study examines the structural relationships between Industry 5.0 competencies, and entrepreneurship development among TVET students. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 384 TVET students and analysed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The measurement model demonstrated robust reliability and validity, with composite reliability values ranging from 0.772 to 0.842 and average variance extracted (AVE) exceeding 0.40. The structural model revealed that digital competency (β = 0.331, p < 0.001), human-centric skills (β = 0.294, p < 0.001), and sustainable innovation (β = 0.239, p < 0.001) significantly predicted entrepreneurship intention. Entrepreneurship intention (β = 0.351, p < 0.001) and digital competency (β = 0.324, p < 0.001) exerted significant direct effects on entrepreneurship behaviour, while sustainable innovation showed an indirect effect through entrepreneurship intention. The model explained 43.4% of the variance in entrepreneurship intention and 48.7% in entrepreneurship behaviour. These findings underscore the need for competency-based TVET curricula that integrate Industry 5.0 principles to cultivate entrepreneurial ecosystems. Policy implications and pedagogical strategies for TVET institutions are discussed.

Key Words: Industry 5.0, Technical and Vocational Education, Entrepreneurship Development, Human-Centric Skills, Sustainable Innovation