University students' perceptions of entrepreneurship as a profession: a phenomenological study - Diaz Wijaya; Tutik Susilowati (Program Studi Pendidikan Administrasi perkantoran FKIP UNS, 2026)
Abstrak: Rendahnya minat mahasiswa terhadap profesi wirausaha menunjukkan perlunya pemahaman mendalam mengenai bagaimana mahasiswa memersepsikan profesi tersebut. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk (1) mengetahui pengalaman mahasiswa Prodi PAP FKIP UNS dalam menjalankan kegiatan wirausaha, (2) mendeskripsikan persepsi mahasiswa terhadap profesi wirausaha, serta (3) mengidentifikasi faktor-faktor yang membentuk persepsi tersebut. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif tipe fenomenologi. Informan penelitian berjumlah 10 mahasiswa PAP angkatan 2022 yang dipilih secara purposive sampling. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui wawancara mendalam semi-terstruktur. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa (1) pengalaman mahasiswa Prodi PAP dalam mengikuti program wirausaha karena tuntutan akademik dan motivasi pribadi, jenis usaha yang dipilih bersifat risiko rendah dan mudah dijalankan; (2) Mahasiswa Prodi PAP mempersepsikan wirausaha sebagai profesi dengan peluang menjanjikan seperti fleksibilitas, kemandirian kerja serta pendapatan yang besar dan risiko berupa kerugian dan kebangkrutan; (3) persepsi mahasiswa terhadap wirausaha dipengaruhi oleh faktor internal dan faktor eksternal. Faktor internal berupa minat, motivasi, dan kepercayaan diri, sedangkan faktor eksternal berupa lingkungan keluarga, lingkungan sosial, dan pembelajaran di Perguruan Tinggi. Temuan ini berkontribusi dalam penguatan strategi pendidikan kewirausahaan untuk membentuk orientasi karier mahasiswa. Kata kunci: efikasi diri; lingkungan sosial; niat berwirausaha; orientasi karierAbstract: The low interest of university students in entrepreneurship as a career profession underscores the need to understand how students perceive this domain. This study aims to: (1) examine the entrepreneurial experiences of Office Administration Education (PAP) students at Sebelas Maret University (UNS); (2) describe students' perceptions of entrepreneurship as a profession; and (3) identify the factors shaping those perceptions. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed. Ten students from the 2022 cohort were selected via purposive sampling, and data were gathered through semi-structured in-depth interviews. Findings indicate that: (1) students engaged in entrepreneurial programs primarily due to academic requirements and personal motivations, gravitating toward low-risk ventures in the food and beverage sector; (2) students perceived entrepreneurship as offering promising opportunities flexibility, work autonomy, and high income while acknowledging risks such as financial loss and business failure; and (3) perceptions were shaped by internal factors (interest, motivation, and self-confidence) and external factors (family environment, social environment, and university entrepreneurship education). These findings contribute to the design of more effective entrepreneurship education strategies that foster students' entrepreneurial career orientation. Keyword: career orientation; entrepreneurial intention; self-efficacy; social environment