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Apprenticeships can feel like they are from another era, but they also increasingly provide promising opportunities for young adults today. On the one hand, the public perception of apprenticeships remains medieval – the term conjures up images of blacksmiths forging arrowheads, hunched over a fire. However, contemporary Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs address a very modern set of challenges that face Millennials looking for economic stability in an era of skyrocketing college tuition and high youth unemployment. Employers have a high demand for workers trained at a “middle skill” level relative to supply,1 which means apprenticeships can address modern employer concerns as well.

This research project aims to study the relationship between youth, employment and migration, looking at three main questions: 1) Who constitutes the youth workforce in Somalia, and are these young people satisfied with their situation? 2) How can the economic situation of dissatisfied youth be explained: is the source of the problem structural (not enough demand), or does it result from frictions within the labour market? Can youth create their own job opportunities through entrepreneurship? 3) Does dissatisfaction with occupation and level of income, along with difficulties to navigate the job market, alone explain irregular migration amongst youth?

2015 was a year for global progress in development policy. The ratification of the Paris Agreement marked the first unified, global effort to set targets to combat climate change. In 2015, UN member states also agreed on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 17 universal targets that will guide policies, investments, and political agendas across the globe. The SDGs explicitly focus on economic development and reducing inequality, as well as specific sectors like energy, water, and agriculture.

The report introduces 30 innovators, 21 featured with full stories, and nine ‘innovators to watch’. Case studies include innovations from Barbados, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda. A couple of innovators who come from outside ACP but offer services in these regions are also featured. The publication is a collection of life stories of interest to aspiring agri-tech entrepreneurs from all countries. Featured innovations include: how the innovation came about; what problems it addresses; how the innovations are implemented; impacts so far; the business model; challenges faced; strategies to address sustainability; and, the future outlook.