The Somali youth experience low absorption in the formal job opportunities with over two-thirds of the unemployed spending at least 8 months searching for a job. As a result, the main  form  of  employment  in  Somalia  is  self-employment in  the  informal  sector.  Over  64%  of workers  in  Somalia,  especially  women  and  youth,  are  self-employed,  61%  of  whom  are  in  non-agricultural self-employment. Given the low availability of decent jobs, the long job search period and the predominance of low wages and low productivity in the Somali labour market, the promotion of  entrepreneurship  and  self-employment  is  a  key strategy  to  improve  employment  outcomes  and income  generation. Therefore, skills development in areas that can enhance entrepreneurship is critical for risk management and for building resilience.

The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Somalia is very limited  due  to  lack  of  adequate  infrastructure  and  systems  to  implement  the activities  falling  under  the  sector.  The trainings are provided by private vocational training centers and by few public-training centers funded by the international community. As a result, TVET  needs rehabilitation  and be  expanded  in  order  to  produce skilled  workers  and  specialists  who  will  eventually  strengthen  the  Somali economy, which can then increasingly rely on their own domestic workforce.

The overall aim to increase access and relevance of technical and vocational skills that catalyse economic transformation and enhance employability and inclusion of Somalis, particularly for Youth and women. It will support the government to provide employable vocational and technical training opportunities targeting the youth. More specifically, the project will:

• Rehabilitate  of  technical  and  vocational  training  centers  in  order  to increase access and ensure inclusion in skills training
• Build capacity of  TVET  teachers/instructors  and  improve  TVET curriculum to strengthen skills quality and relevance
• Integrate entrepreneurship to  enhance innovation and self-employment 
• Support sectorial and institutional capacity building

a) Development of curriculum in climate sensitive courses 

• Solar technology / solar system installation and maintenance
• Climate Smart agriculture including composite manure making, water harvesting, storage and application technologies, soil and water conservation. 
• Eco-friendly construction skills 
• Alternative livelihood skills such as plumbing and carpentry

b) Labour market assessment (including an assessment of potential for green jobs/ entrepreneurship in Somalia)

c) Entrepreneurship development in green enterprises

• 400 youth to be trained in climate-relevant and green related courses
• 120 young entrepreneurs to focus on green entrepreneurship/ jobs
• Reduced skilled labour shortages and labour importation
• strengthened technical  and vocational  skills  development  to  enhance  employability  and  contribute to  inclusive  green growth

• Increased access to quality skills development and enhanced equity in vocational training. through support to  vocational  and  technical training  and institutional capacity building
• Youth equipped with entrepreneurship skills necessary to facilitate self-employment, income generation and economic resilience