Is technical training an obstacle to entrepreneurship?

Purpose: Entrepreneurial initiative has come to be recognised the world over as a driver of economic and social development. However, there is still a long way to go in terms of understanding the acquisition of capabilities related to entrepreneurship. In today's society, it is clear that human capital determines the rate at which quality of life improves or declines, as well as the competitiveness of productive systems. Conceptually, engineers might be regarded as vital enablers of change. This paper seeks to address these issues. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire was passed to the students of civil engineering, which contained questions on the desirability of new venture creation or the intention to start up a new business. The questionnaire also asked respondents about the perception of the feasibility of creating a new venture, and the perceived image and economic and social evaluation of the business owner, as well as the prestige and recognition of the figure of the entrepreneur in comparison with other professions. Maintaining this structure enabled the authors to compare the results of this survey with other studies carried out in different fields and moments in time. Findings: Engineers perceive creativity and innovation as having characteristics that are inherent in the qualities associated with their profession, in the sense that the engineer is someone who uses inventiveness to achieve or carry out objectives. In short, it is a profession that involves the application of ingenuity. However, engineering graduates rarely consider starting up a business as one of their career options upon completing their studies, and will invariably look to work for established firms. Research limitations/implications: Technical training appears to be an enabler of creativity and an obstacle to business initiative. It would be interesting to analyse this implication over time. Practical implications: The results of this study indicate a clear demand to complete the entrepreneurial training of civil engineering students. When asked about the possibility or opportunity of complementing their studies with business‐related training, a large part of the sample (43 per cent) were in total agreement, and 29 per cent were generally in favour. Social implications: It can be concluded that the introduction of subjects that promote business creation in a technical degree course, such as engineering, is both necessary and desirable. Originality/value: With a view to identifying the attitudes and beliefs amongst engineers towards business creation, this paper analyses the desirability, feasibility and intention to create a new firm, as well as the image and perception of the figure of the business owner, and the personal characteristics of civil engineering students as entrepreneurs.