New vocational training centre in Ethiopia to boost jobs for refugees and hosts

Published 13 hours ago• 4 minute read

guest opening plaque of the newly built centre — Digitories from the Netherlands, the ILO and Somali Regional State unveiling the plaque of Satellite TVET centre.

Kebribeyah, ETHIOPIA – 25 June 2025 – The International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the Government of the Netherlands and Somali Regional State Bureau of Skills and Job Creation, officially inaugurated the Kebribeyah Vocational Training center today. This new facility, an extension of the Jigjiga Polytechnic College (JPTC), is set to significantly enhance skills and employment opportunities in the region.

This landmark initiative is designed to equip refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and host community members with market-relevant vocational skills, boosting their employability and promoting economic inclusion in the region.

The new centre will provide both formal and non-formal TVET to up to 250 young people, with courses tailored to meet local labour market needs.

The centre was constructed using the ILO’s Employment Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) approach, creating more than 22,000 workdays of employment during construction. This provided immediate income opportunities for locals and refugees.

demonstration of the equipment at the TVET centre — Trainees showing the equipment at the newly built Satellite TVET centre in Kebribeyah.

"The inauguration of the Kebribeyah Satellite TVET Centre marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to foster decent work and economic inclusion in Ethiopia," said Khumbula Ndaba, Director, ILO Country Office for Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan, and Special Representative to the AU and the ECA. "This TVET Centre is more than just a building; it is a beacon of hope and a pathway to self-reliance for thousands of young people from both refugee and host communities".

Ethiopia continues to demonstrate leadership in refugee inclusion. In line with its updated national refugee proclamation (No. 1110/2019), the country promotes greater access to education and productive employment for its more than one million refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from South Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea.

"The Kingdom of the Netherlands is proud to support Ethiopia’s inclusive refugee response, which aligns with our commitment to human dignity and offering prospects for a better future," stated Christine Pirenne, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ethiopia. "Investing in vocational training and skills development is crucial for building resilience and ensuring that everyone, including those forcibly displaced, has the opportunity to find jobs and contribute to their communities’ development."

Despite facing its development challenges, the Somali Regional State has been at the forefront of hosting and integrating refugees. The new centre further strengthens the region’s capacity to deliver essential services and create economic opportunities.

ribbon cutting ceremony at the centre launch — Digntories cutting ribbon to launch the newly built Satellite TVET Centre in Kebribeyah.

Today, we are not just inaugurating a building. We are launching a vision.
Hussien Gayd, Head, Bureau of Job Creation & Skills, Somali Regional State

A vision where young people from Kebribayah and surrounding areas no longer have to migrate to distant towns to acquire technical skills. A vision where TVET becomes a practical tool for employment, entrepreneurship, and social progress," commented Hussien Gayd, Head, Bureau of Job Creation & Skills, Somali Regional State. "This satellite center stands as a symbol of decentralization, equity, and access. It aligns with our regional and national strategies to bring skills training closer to the people, particularly those in remote and underserved communities."

The inauguration ceremony, held at the new centre in Kebribeyah, brought together representatives from federal and regional government, donor agencies, humanitarian and development partners, community leaders, and the media. The event also celebrated the graduation of 75 trainees from the centre’s first short-term skills training program, delivered in partnership with Jigjiga Polytechnic College and other local actors.

Commending the Somali Region’s leadership in creating opportunities for both refugees and host communities, Stephen Opio, Chief Technical Advisor of ILO PROSPECTS in Ethiopia and Sudan remarked, “With the right skills and access to opportunities, refugees and host communities alike can become agents of change in their regions. This satellite TVET centre is an example of the ILO’s commitment to advancing decent work and inclusive growth through the humanitarian-development-peace nexus.”

graduates holding their certificates of courses — First batch of graduates of short courses posing at the newly built TVET center in Jigjiga

The centre offers modern facilities including six classrooms, workshops, water and sanitation services, a cafeteria, and outdoor spaces. Its training programmes are designed to match local market demands, helping trainees transition into employment or entrepreneurship.

The Satellite Centre is supported through the PROSPECTS Partnership, an initiative spearheaded by the Government of the Netherlands, uniting the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Bank. The partnership aims to enhance government and stakeholder responses to forced displacement crises by improving access to education, economic inclusion, protection, and critical infrastructure.

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