Local Incubator Platforms: Lessons from the Igbo Apprenticeship System (IAS) in Nigeria

Abstract

Apprenticeships are the oldest form of training in the world of work and business, representing a means of passing on skills. This practice predates the medieval era, where trade guilds, journeymen, and craftsmen flourished to ensure that skills were passed on and the productive power of labour could be harnessed. Modern-day research has, nonetheless, redefined entrepreneurship, omitting this crucial aspect of the field, while the domain of apprenticeship has been narrowly conceptualised to solely encompass blended work and class-based skills transfer. Without denying the impact of both viewpoints, this study draws a parallel between entrepreneurship and apprenticeship using the Igbo Apprenticeship System (IAS) model as a case study. Using the model of the Igbo Apprenticeship System, this paper explores how this combined individualistic, yet collective model, bridges the gap between poverty, entrepreneurship, and the power of mastery. This research utilises the illustrative case study/process tracing approach to examine a pool (60 participants) of Igbo entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The findings show the benefits of mutual aid or a ‘share-the-wealth’ free-market approach that has helped reduce poverty levels in the Igbo communities in Nigeria.