The article presents the results of a study developed to analyze the vocational and job-training proposals offered to young people in a non-formal educational setting. The objective was established by examining the state-of-the-art to become familiar with the type of training activities conducted the city of Medellin (Colombia) during the period from 2000 to 2006. As to method, a hermeneutical approach was applied to an analysis of written texts. Essentially, the conclusions indicate vocational education for young people conceived with the idea of training for employment focus entirely on the student's technical skills and capabilities, with vocational training being regarded as a form of social control to prevent violent behavior on the part of young people.