Promoting Entrepreneurial Career Development in STEM: Developing and Validating a STEM Entrepreneurial Career Development Measure (SECDM)

Abstract Entrepreneurship in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is a developing area of research, and studies show that it is strongly associated with skills such as real-world application, problem-solving, and critical thinking. The literature highlights that STEM students have significant potential to turn their innovative ideas into businesses or technological advancements, driving economic growth and technological progress. The role of technology in fostering innovation and entrepreneurial growth is central in the STEM entrepreneurial mindset, as technological advancements are key drivers of entrepreneurial success. Moreover, diversity in STEM entrepreneurship is crucial because innovators who prioritize inclusivity can create products and solutions that address the needs of diverse populations, thereby reducing the risk of bias. It is therefore important to promote the development of entrepreneurial mindsets among STEM students and to present STEM entrepreneurship as a career option. However, there is a lack of measures that focus on STEM-specific entrepreneurial career development. To address this gap, the current scale was developed using the theory of planned behavior as well as social cognitive career theory. Data were collected from 176 undergraduate STEM students at a private research university. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency ( α = 0.91). Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated strong model fit, supporting the validity and reliability of the scale in assessing STEM entrepreneurial career development. While the scale shows promising psychometric properties, further testing with larger and more diverse samples is recommended to confirm its validity and generalizability.