Research Area
Human Capital & Employment
Project Status
Ongoing
Start Date
March, 2023
Project Team
- Mercy Wanjiku
- Brian Otieno
- Alice Naliaka
Project Overview
Sub-Saharan Africa continues to experience a rapidly growing youth population, yet job creation has not kept pace with the increasing labor supply. A significant mismatch exists between the skills acquired through formal education and those demanded by the labor market.
This project explores innovative approaches to bridging the skills gap by aligning training systems with market needs, strengthening vocational education, and promoting entrepreneurship. It also examines how digital platforms and informal sector opportunities can be leveraged to improve employment outcomes for young people.
Objectives
Identify key skill gaps across high-growth sectors such as digital economy, agriculture, and manufacturing
Assess the effectiveness of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs
Develop scalable models for youth employment and entrepreneurship support
Promote gender-inclusive employment strategies
Methodologies
Labor market surveys across urban and rural regions
Stakeholder interviews with employers, educators, and policymakers
Case studies of successful youth employment programs
Data analysis on employment trends and skills demand
Expected Outputs
Policy brief on youth employment strategies
Skills gap analysis report
Toolkit for improving TVET alignment with industry
Stakeholder workshop on employment solutions