Connecting creativity, confidence, and unconventional career plans

ABSTRACT Previous research suggests that creativity training is effective in academic settings, and that creative skills are increasingly important for success within unconventional careers such as self-employment or starting a business. This study extends research on creativity and entrepreneurial training in higher education, using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Responses from over 64,000 seniors at 274 different U.S. colleges and universities were used to explore whether exposure to creative coursework and confidence in creative thinking skills can predict future entrepreneurial career plans. The results of binary logistic regression models suggest that creative coursework and confidence in creative ability are significant positive predictors of future plans for self-employment and starting a business, even after controlling for demographic and institutional characteristics. These findings can help to enrich educational experiences within higher education, informing curricular enhancements and career advising for students across all disciplines.