The Work Mismatch: Skilling Refugees for the Right Jobs

​Hosted by Jobtech Alliance, Na'amal and part of the Jobtech for Refugees Committee of Practice, as part 3 of the first-ever Jobtech for Refugees Summit.

Refugees are often described as an untapped pool of skilled talent. But too often, skilling interventions start from supply-side logic — what can be taught at scale, what funding allows, what curricula already exist — rather than what employers are actually hiring for, or what learners need to remain competitive once placed.

​At the same time, AI is reshaping what "market-relevant" even means. Entry-level roles are evolving, employer expectations are shifting, and the shelf life of certain skills is shortening. Without deliberate adaptation, AI risks widening existing gaps for refugees, particularly those constrained by interrupted education, weak professional networks, and limited access to advanced training.

​This session examines whether refugee skilling programmes are preparing participants for the work that exists now — and the work emerging next. Moving beyond generic training models, the discussion will look at how programmes can better align with market demand, and how AI can be addressed both as a shift to prepare for and as a tool learners can use to compete.

​This will be a frank, practice-grounded conversation with skilling providers, platforms, intermediaries, and funders working at the intersection of technology and refugee employment.

Interested in our work with refugees? Read the report here