Training young people for jobs: insights from 9 African countries on what’s missing
Research across nine African nations indicates that youth employment programs are largely failing due to poor targeting, insufficient funding, and a lack of connection to employer needs. Experts argue that these initiatives must be integrated into broader economic strategies rather than operating as isolated projects.
Why it matters
Addressing youth unemployment is essential for economic stability and realizing the 'demographic dividend' in developing economies.
Programmes designed to get young people to work fail because they are small-scale and not properly targeted. Abubakar Mamman via Pexels Training young people for jobs: insights from 9 African countries on what’s missing Published: July 13, 2026 9:44am EDT https://theconversation.com/training-young-people-for-jobs-insights-from-9-african-countries-on-whats-missing-287075 https://theconversation.com/training-young-people-for-jobs-insights-from-9-african-countries-on-whats-missing-287075 Link copied Share article Share article
The article relies on academic research and economic data to provide an objective assessment of policy efficacy.
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