On a hot afternoon in Gedo, Somalia in July 2024, a group of young men and women sat under the shade of a makeshift shelter, having recently completed a vocational training course. One young man, Abdi (name changed for privacy), said quietly, “Before this, I thought my only option was to leave—or to join them.” He did not need to explain who “them” were. In parts of Somalia, the pull of armed groups is an ever-present reality for young people with no viable alternatives.
A few months later, Abdi was repairing solar panels at a small workshop he had helped establish with two other graduates. “Now,” he said, “people come to me for work. I don’t think about leaving anymore.”
Abdi’s story is not unique. It reflects a broader, often overlooked truth: in Somalia, access to skills and livelihoods is not just an economic issue—it is central to peace.
This article builds on my 2025 research on vocational education for Somali youth, as well as four years of experiential learning in the country between September 2021 and July 2025. Across this period, working alongside local institutions, communities, and young people, one lesson became clear: When youth are given viable pathways to earn, belong, and contribute, they become active stakeholders in stability rather than participants in conflict.
A Generation at Risk—and at a Crossroads
Somalia’s protracted conflict has left deep scars on its education system. Many young people have grown up with interrupted or no formal schooling, limiting their ability to access employment or further education. For those who fall outside traditional academic pathways, the options are often stark: migration, informal labour, or recruitment into armed groups.
This is not simply a question of poverty. It is a question of exclusion—and exclusion, in fragile contexts, can quickly translate into instability.
In the Gedo region, institutions such as the Sayid Mohamed Technical Education College (SaMTEC) have begun to address this gap by offering technical and vocational education tailored to local realities. These programmes target youth who might otherwise be left behind, providing them with practical skills in areas such as electrical work, construction, and mechanics.
But what I observed over four years is that these programmes do far more than teach trades.
More Than Skills: Rebuilding Social Fabric
In Baidoa, a young woman enrolled in a vocational course despite strong resistance from her extended family. At the start, she said, she was not allowed to travel alone to the training centre. By the end of the programme, she had not only completed her course but had also begun earning an income—and her family’s attitude had shifted.
“They see now that I can contribute,” she said. “They listen to me.”
Stories like hers highlight a quieter transformation taking place across communities. Vocational education is helping to reshape social roles, challenge entrenched norms, and build bridges across divides—whether based on clan, gender, or displacement status.
In one tracer study of graduates, an overwhelming majority reported contributing positively to their communities—through employment, mentoring others, or participating in local initiatives. These contributions, while modest in scale, accumulate into something much larger: a gradual rebuilding of trust and social cohesion.
A Buffer Against Radicalisation
In contexts where armed groups actively recruit, the absence of opportunity can be as powerful a driver as ideology. Several young people described how, before accessing training, they felt “stuck” or “without direction.”
Vocational programs interrupt this trajectory. They provide not only skills, but also structure, peer networks, and a sense of purpose. Young people begin to see a future that is not defined by conflict.
Community leaders in multiple locations echoed this point. One elder in Gedo said, “When youth have work, they don’t listen to those messages.” While such observations are difficult to quantify, they reflect a widely shared perception: opportunity reduces vulnerability.
The Role of Community Gatekeepers
None of this happens in a vacuum. One of the most important lessons from my time in Somalia is that education initiatives succeed or fail based on their relationship with local communities.
Elders, religious leaders, and informal authorities often act as gatekeepers. Their support can open doors; their resistance can close them just as quickly.
In several instances, program continuity depended on delicate negotiations with community actors. In one moment, tensions in a district threatened to halt training activities. It was local elders—engaged early in the programme—who intervened to mediate and ensure that the centre could remain open.
These experiences underscore that peacebuilding is not an abstract policy goal. It is deeply relational, shaped by trust, dialogue, and local legitimacy.
Persistent Gaps: From Training to Livelihoods
Yet, for all its promise, vocational education in Somalia faces significant challenges.
The most pressing is the gap between training and employment. Many graduates leave programmes with skills, but without access to capital, tools, or markets. Without these, the risk is that initial gains fade, and young people drift back into uncertainty.
Several graduates who had completed the training were still searching for ways to apply their skills. Their frustration was palpable. “We learned,” one said, “but we need support to start.”
Addressing this gap requires more than training centres. It calls for stronger links to the private sector, access to microfinance, and sustained mentorship. Without these, vocational education cannot reach its full peacebuilding potential.
Women’s Inclusion: Progress with Limits
Encouragingly, more young women are entering vocational programmes, including in traditionally male-dominated fields. This shift is significant, both economically and socially.
However, barriers remain. Safety concerns, social expectations, and household responsibilities continue to limit participation. In some areas, families remain hesitant to allow women to travel or work outside the home.
Where programs have successfully increased female participation, it has often been through deliberate engagement with families and community leaders—again reinforcing the importance of local context.
Investing in Peace, One Skill at a Time
What emerges from these experiences is a clear message: vocational education is not a silver bullet, but it is a powerful and practical entry point for peacebuilding.
It addresses immediate needs—income, skills, employability—while also contributing to longer-term goals of inclusion, resilience, and social cohesion. It gives young people a stake in their communities and a reason to invest in stability.
As global attention shifts between crises, Somalia’s story risks being overlooked. Yet, in workshops, classrooms, and small businesses across the country, a quieter transformation is underway.
Young people like Abdi are not just finding jobs. They are redefining what it means to build peace.
Keywords: Somalia, education, skills, vocational, vocational education, peace, peacebuilding, poverty, jobs, joblessness, conflict, conflict resolution
Dipankar Datta
Dr. Dipankar Datta is currently the Country Director of the Norwegian Refugee Council in Bangladesh. Between September 2021 and July 2025, he served as the Country Director of Norwegian Church Aid in Somalia. The article draws on his experiential learning and references his academic paper titled “Building futures in fragility: vocational education as a pathway to empower Somali youth and communities,” published in the International Journal of Training Research (DOI: 10.1080/14480220.2025.2582383). The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the author's current or former employers or any of their country programmes and partnerships. LinkedIn Profile.
