Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets and practical self-employment skills in Ethiopian TVET institutions: a systematic review on TVET graduate transition

Entrepreneurship development has become a critical policy priority in many developing economies, particularly as a strategy to address rising youth unemployment and stimulate sustainable economic growth. In Ethiopia, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system is positioned as a key institutional mechanism for fostering self-employment and enterprise creation. This systematic review gathers evidence from 2010 to 2025 to clarify the changing landscape of entrepreneurship development within Ethiopia’s TVET framework. It addresses two central questions: how TVET institutions cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets and practical self-employment skills, and what factors enable or constrain graduates’ transition into entrepreneurship or wage employment. Synthesizing relevant empirical studies, the review reveals a complex interplay between structural barriers, such as limited resources, policy inconsistencies, and institutional constraints, and enabling conditions, including experiential pedagogy, industry linkages, and institutional autonomy. The findings suggest that strengthening entrepreneurial intention requires a coordinated ecosystem approach grounded in curriculum reform, adaptive leadership, and sustained stakeholder collaboration. By integrating insights across studies, this review contributes to policy and academic debates on transforming Ethiopia’s TVET system into a more effective engine of job creation and inclusive economic development.