Investigation of the effect of entrepreneurship education for women on the entrepreneurial competencies of women: a research in mersi̇n province

Entrepreneurship plays a significant role in the development and prosperity of economic societies. The employment of entrepreneurs in their respective fields of education and their creation of new job opportunities are crucial for meeting the socio- economic needs of countries and societies. Entrepreneurship, which is critical for developing national economies, is also a subject of research in terms of its impact on women and businesses through entrepreneurship education. In this context, this thesis aims to investigate the impact of entrepreneurship courses on the entrepreneurial competencies of women who have received entrepreneurship education in Mersin province. To achieve this goal, data were collected from 248 female participants who received entrepreneurship training from public institutions, non-governmental organizations, and municipalities in Mersin province through online surveys. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0. The analysis revealed that entrepreneurship education did not show a significant difference based on age, educational status, or marital status. However, there was a statistically significant difference based on household income. While the entrepreneurial competence and its sub- dimensions showed partially significant differences based on age, marital status, and household income, statistically significant difference did not find based on educational status. Additionally, the results of this thesis indicated that entrepreneurship education positively and significantly influenced the entrepreneurial competencies of women. In conclusion, the entrepreneurship education received by female entrepreneurs contributes to and enhances their entrepreneurial competencies. The findings of this thesis are expected to provide valuable insights into understanding the effects of entrepreneurship education programs for women in Mersin province and similar regions. This study is anticipated to contribute to the development of strategies for supporting female entrepreneurs and strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystems in the future. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Women Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Education,Entrepreneurial Competencies.