Preparing students for entrepreneurial careers: the contributions of experiential pedagogies

Purpose This study aims to examine the effects of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial self-efficacy, entrepreneurial identity, and career crystallization. It also investigates whether experiential pedagogy produces stronger developmental outcomes than conventional transmissive pedagogy within a higher education context in Guinea. Design/methodology/approach A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was adopted. The quantitative phase employed a pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group involving 151 undergraduate students from two Guinean public universities. Students in the treatment group (n = 81) followed an entrepreneurship course based on experiential pedagogy, whereas those in the control group (n = 70) received a more transmissive approach. Repeated-measures ANCOVA was used to assess changes over time while controlling for baseline differences. The qualitative phase consisted of semi-structured interviews that provided explanatory insights into the quantitative findings. Findings Entrepreneurship education significantly strengthened entrepreneurial identity and career crystallization but did not produce a significant overall effect on entrepreneurial self-efficacy. This null effect masked contrasting trajectories across pedagogical approaches. Experiential pedagogy significantly improved three dimensions of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (opportunity recognition, marshaling, and financial implementation) whereas these dimensions declined under transmissive pedagogy. In contrast, entrepreneurial identity and career crystallization improved similarly across both pedagogical approaches. Qualitative findings indicate that experiential pedagogies promote mastery experiences that reinforce self-efficacy, whereas both pedagogical formats foster identity development and career exploration through entrepreneurial knowledge, narratives, and role models. Practical implications The findings suggest that entrepreneurship education should pursue differentiated pedagogical objectives. Experiential approaches are particularly valuable for strengthening entrepreneurial self-efficacy, whereas both experiential and transmissive approaches can support entrepreneurial identity formation and career exploration. In resource-constrained higher education systems, combining narrative-based learning with targeted experiential activities may provide an effective and feasible curriculum design. Originality/value This study extends entrepreneurship education research in three ways. First, it explains inconsistencies in prior quasi-experimental studies by demonstrating that pedagogical approaches shape entrepreneurial self-efficacy through distinct learning mechanisms. Second, it integrates entrepreneurial identity and career crystallization as complementary developmental outcomes, broadening the scope of entrepreneurship education beyond entrepreneurial intentions and venture creation. Third, it provides evidence from a non-Western, resource-constrained context, showing how institutional conditions influence the mechanisms through which entrepreneurship education supports students' entrepreneurial career development.