SOCIO-PROFESSIONAL INTEGRATION OF STUDENT ENTREPRENEURS AT JOSEPH KI-ZERBO UNIVERSITY: OBSTACLES AND SUCCESS FACTORS

In Burkina Faso, unemployment among young graduates remains a major challenge. Given the saturated job market, student entrepreneurship is emerging as an alternative pathway to socio-professional integration. This mixed-methods study was conducted at Joseph Ki-Zerbo University with 285 student entrepreneurs and supplemented by interviews with key informants. This article aims to analyze three dimensions of the professional integration of student entrepreneurs: institutional support, personal traits, and the socio - economic environment. The results show that entrepreneurship training programs and incubators promote project development, but their accessibility and effectiveness remain limited. Personal traits, particularly self confidence and proactivity, emerge as key drivers of success. Conversely, the socio-economic environment, characterized by limited access to financing and restricted support, hinders initiatives. The main hypothesis is partially confirmed: integration depends on a combination of institutional, individual, and contextual factors. The study recommends strengthening incubation, facilitating financing, and promoting transferable skills.