Front Sociol. 2026 Jul 16;11:1842865. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2026.1842865. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Youth unemployment remains one of the most pressing socioeconomic challenges in fragile and conflict-affected contexts such as Somalia, where prolonged instability, weak institutions, and limited labor market opportunities continue to constrain young adults’ access to sustainable employment. In response to these challenges, innovation hubs have emerged as important platforms for skills development, entrepreneurship support, and freelancing opportunities. However, empirical evidence on the relationship between innovation hub initiatives and employment outcomes remains limited. This study examines the association between innovation hub services, specifically skills development and training, entrepreneurship support, and freelancing programs, and young adults’ employment outcomes in Mogadishu, Somalia.
METHODOLOGY: A quantitative cross-sectional research design was employed using primary data collected through a structured online questionnaire. The study focused on young adults who had participated in innovation hub programs, with a sample of 360 respondents selected through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using SPSS through descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression to examine the relationships among the study variables.
FINDINGS: The findings reveal that all three innovation hub services are positively and significantly associated with young adults’ employment outcomes. Skills development and training emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by freelancing programs and entrepreneurship support. The results further suggest that participants reported improved employment experiences after engaging in innovation hub programs. The regression model demonstrated a moderate level of explanatory power, indicating that the three predictors jointly account for a meaningful proportion of variation in employment outcomes.
IMPLICATIONS: The study provides important insights for policymakers, educators, and practitioners by highlighting the potential role of innovation hubs in addressing youth unemployment in fragile and conflict-affected settings. Strengthening practical skills training, expanding freelancing opportunities, and supporting entrepreneurship development may enhance employment opportunities for young adults. The findings further support the integration of innovation hubs into broader employment and workforce development strategies in Somalia.
PMID:42534614 | PMC:PMC13422156 | DOI:10.3389/fsoc.2026.1842865
