The Intersection of Identity and Professional Integration : A Study of Somali Professionals in Finland
Abdi, Samaan; Ali, Sakariye (2026)
2026
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202603244895
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202603244895
Tiivistelmä
This thesis explores the ways Somali-background professionals in Finland balance the connection between cultural identity and professional integration in the settings of education, employment, and entrepreneurship. The research will examine the pathways that facilitate the career growth of the participants as well as the barriers in the path of professional growth that the participants are faced with such as discrimination, institutional problems, and cultural adjustments.
A qualitative research approach was used, using semi-structured interviews with Somali background professionals from diverse occupational fields. The interviews centered on the lived experiences of participants in terms of identity, belonging, and professional life within the Finnish context. The data was examined with an inductive and data-driven qualitative content analysis, through which recurring patterns and themes emerged from the interview material.
The findings indicate how Somali-background professionals actively balance their cultural identities while navigating structural constraints within Finnish professional environments. Social networks, resilience and strategies became important funding to professional growth, and how discrimination experiences and institutional constraints persisted in shaping career paths. The study contributes to discussions on diversity and inclusion in the Finnish labour market by foregrounding the voices and perspectives of Somali-background professionals.
The results also provide useful information to social services professionals, especially those operating within the employment guidance, integration, and culturally sensitive support areas by shedding light on how to enhance professional inclusion and equal support practices.
A qualitative research approach was used, using semi-structured interviews with Somali background professionals from diverse occupational fields. The interviews centered on the lived experiences of participants in terms of identity, belonging, and professional life within the Finnish context. The data was examined with an inductive and data-driven qualitative content analysis, through which recurring patterns and themes emerged from the interview material.
The findings indicate how Somali-background professionals actively balance their cultural identities while navigating structural constraints within Finnish professional environments. Social networks, resilience and strategies became important funding to professional growth, and how discrimination experiences and institutional constraints persisted in shaping career paths. The study contributes to discussions on diversity and inclusion in the Finnish labour market by foregrounding the voices and perspectives of Somali-background professionals.
The results also provide useful information to social services professionals, especially those operating within the employment guidance, integration, and culturally sensitive support areas by shedding light on how to enhance professional inclusion and equal support practices.