Relevant Experience:
- He/she must have Masters Degree in MBA / Development Economics/ Sociology / Consumer Behavior and Market Research with the experience of developing research tools of similar nature.
- At least 15 years of progressive professional experience of job / research / consultancy work
- At least five years experience of conducting such employment related studies / research / survey
- He/She must have sound skills of leading team and report writing.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- He/she must have strong political and social connections that can help him/her operate in the targeted three localities.
Job Description:
A. General Summary & Objective of Consultancy. Karachi being the largest city with over 15 million residents faces a variety of complex challenges, resulting in a multifold increase in crime in the recent years. A major contributor to a diminishing security situation in Karachi is the unemployment of youth. It can be argued that the unemployment, in part, is due to lack of the right skills and not because of non availability of employment opportunities. Once the youth is provided with the right vocational skills, it can help them in obtaining jobs, locally or abroad and they could also enter into self employment using these skills.
In this backdrop, USAID Firms Project intends to undertake a workforce development program in the following three troubled localities of Karachi to provide skills development opportunities to youth that can help them secure employment in various sectors facing shortage of labour.
For developing strategy and implementation plan, the project intends to collect quantitative as well as qualitative information and data about the demand side and supply side through a structured study. The study will encompass the prevailing situation and quantum of unemployment, skills and education level of unemployed youth, and major restraining factor to acquire vocational skills. On other side, study would identify the unmet needs of semi skilled and skilled labour of various industrial and service sector as well as available job opportunities in self employment sector and in labour market of other countries, especially Middle East.
This objective of this consultancy / SOW is to lead the team of professionals, constituted to undertake this study. The Team Leader will be responsible to coordinate, guide and oversee the entire study, and to keep close coordination with USAID Firms team as well as other stakeholders. Moreover, he/she will be responsible for the all deliverables assigned to the entire team.
B. Principal Duties & Responsibilities. Under this consultancy, the consultant would perform all of the tasks and activities, clearly mentioned in this document or implied, which are required to complete this study in an effective way.
The Consultant(s) shall use his/her education, experience, and specific understanding on the subject matter, to accomplish the following:
B1. Secondary Research
The consultant shall read, but are not limited to, the following material to fully understand the work specified under this SOW, to collect the necessary information and data, and to enrich the analysis and final report:
- District profile and sector assessment report of Karachi District, by USAID Firms Project
- Reports and data collected by USAID Job Project for District Karachi
- Various Reports of ILO regarding vocational training and labour market of Pakistan
- Training need assessment of major industrial sectors and service sectors (various development agencies and sector associations published such reports time and again)
- Reports of Ministry of Oversees Pakistanis related to labour market / job opportunities in Middle East and other countries
- Reports of various microfinance institutions for self employment opportunities
- Any other relevant report / study / data
B2. Primary Research
The personnel will work as team leader of the team constituted for this study, and will supervise coordinate, provide guidance and technical assistance, and monitor the professionals of the team to accomplish the following. Moreover, he/she would keep close liaison with USIAD Firms professional, political and social personalities and other stakeholders of these three localities. Team Leader will be responsible to ensure the quality of work and timely completion of study.
1. Supply Side Analysis (Population):
a) By extrapolating the figures from the last population census of district(s) Karachi, calculate the approximate size of the total population of these localities, and provide the break-up of population with respect to age, using the figures and age brackets given in “Census”, “New Electoral Lists of these areas”, “Labour Force Survey”, ‘Skilling Pakistan” and other documents of ILO Pakistan. The ultimate objective to calculate the size of young people in 15-35 age bracket, residing in these three localities.
b) Calculate the sample size for a survey of these localities. The sample size of each locality shall be calculated on established principles of sampling using statistical tools. Sample size must be statistically significant with 90% confidence level, and 5% margin of error.
c) Develop the survey instrument to collect data and information that will encompass quantitative and qualitative aspects of youth unemployment, education level, skills level, major reasons of unemployment / underemployment, previous job history, reasons of not getting vocational training previously, aptitude for skills training, preferred vocational trades, time that the respondent can spare for training, etc. This tool shall be developed in consultation with the relevant staff of USAID Firms Project and shall be launched once it gets approved by the project.
d) Collaborate with the USAID Firms team to design survey methodology. Where possible and required, coordinate with relevant local government officials, community elders and other relevant notables for the smooth implementation of the survey.
e) As per the USAID Firms Project guidelines, train enumerators and field supervisors to carry out data collection.
f) Manage, supervise and monitor the survey in these three localities by interacting with the local population and elders. The team leader will directly monitor the twelve enumerators and one field supervisors for filling the questionnaire by asking questions from respondents, and not self administered. As part of the supervision process, conduct spot quality-assurance checks to ensure adequate performance of enumerators involved in data collection as per the guidelines/checklist provided to them.
g) Supervise and monitor the Data Analyst, who will clean the data of filled questionnaire, and will enter the survey results in SPSS for various analysis and tabulation including tabulation. On the basis of survey results, calculate the percentage as well as total number of unemployed and underemployed young people, with cross tabulation of their age bracket, education level, skills level, family income, and other variables given in questionnaire. Furthermore, Triangulation shall be used to cross verify the results of primary and secondary sources. Team leader will provide guidance and technical inputs to Data Analyst for necessary analysis of the data and in turn writing a small report (section of main report) about the various aspects of data analysis. Team Leader will arrange and conduct the focus group discussions (FGDs), one in Sultanabad, five in Lyari, and three in Korangi. FGDs must be represented by youth, parents, opinion leaders, local politicians, civil society, service providers of vocational training etc.
h) Team Leader will write a comprehensive report (section of main report) of supply side analysis (population) describing all of the variables and analysis mentioned above.
2. Supply Side Analysis (Workforce Development / Vocational Training Service Provider):
Team leader will supervise and monitor the Workforce Development / Vocational Training Expert for his / her quality and in time delivery of the following:
a) Identify and chalk out the available formal opportunities of workforce development opportunities / vocational training opportunities for youth, which could include vocational training centers working in the semi government sector, private sector, industry, and in the development sectors, where inhabitants of the above three localities can avail this facility. The details related to vocational trades, number of seats, fee structure, location, current utilization factor, current staffing (technical), etc, will be required. (Since the inhabitant of these three localities can reach to the other end of Karachi in one hour (approx) so all the facilities working in Karachi or in periphery shall come under the scope of this study). In order to conduct this study
The consultant shall contact Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority - TEVTA (former Education Department – Technical Wing), skills development council, and other registration bodies to get lists of registered and accredited training centers) for profit as well as not for profit) working in Karachi.
b) Explore the industrial and service sector organizations, where apprenticeship / on-job training services are offered under some structured arrangement.
c) List down the NGOs/trust/other development sector organizations, who temporarily or permanently engaged in imparting vocational training services to youth. Moreover, chalk out the details of their training program.
d) Expert will conduct a FGD, in close coordination of team leader, with the representative of training service providers, to assess their major deficiencies and the reason behind the unwillingness of the youth to join these training programs, and the facilitation that can help them to join vocational training program.
e) The consultant shall categorize and classify all these available choices in consultation with USAID Firms Project, with respect to predetermined criteria to finalize the training centers, with whom USAID can work under this program.
f) The consultant shall highlight the weak areas of the service providers and potential area of any possible support and facilitation by USAID to strengthen their capacity for better and increased utilization, effectiveness and efficiency.
g) The Workforce Development / Vocational Training Expert will write down a comprehensive report (section of main report), on the basis of secondary and primary research, addressing all aforementioned aspects of supply side of workforce development / vocational training.
3. Demand Side Analysis (Available Job Opportunities):
Team leader will supervise and monitor the two Labour Market Experts for their quality and in time delivery of the following. Team Leader will provide his/her technical input in the entire process on regular basis:
Two labour market experts will explore and quantify the job opportunities / employment opportunities in their respective employment areas through detailed secondary research and focus group discussions, with the representations of associations and key stakeholders. Team leader will assist them arranging these FGDs.
Furthermore, these two labour market experts will write respective reports (sections of main report) on the findings, analysis, and recommendations of their respective assignment. Team leader will be responsible for quality of work, and in time delivery of the required deliverables.
a) Self Employment: Team leader will supervise, monitor and coordinate the labour market expert (self employment) to identify the self employment opportunities for the youth of these localities where a person can start his / her own micro enterprise or start providing some services (free lance style) with enterprise training or / and some vocational training such as electrician, motor winders, drivers, plumbers. For such opportunities, a person can start the venture by mobilizing family financial resources, or loan from bank or microcredit institutions, or grant from some donors. Opportunities in the area of manufacturing, services, retailing, food related items etc can be explored.
b) Wage Employment: Team leader will supervise, monitor and coordinate the labour market expert (wage employment) to identify the wage employment opportunities for the youth of these localities in the following areas by undertaking detailed secondary research, one on one meetings, and FGDs. Wage employment opportunities reflect the opportunities to get jobs in the following two areas after a few months training under center based training or factory based apprenticeship arrangements.
I. Industrial Sector / Business Sector The expert shall estimate the employment opportunities in major (at least ten) industrial / business sectors of Karachi such as fisheries, leather, garment and textile, marble and granite, etc.) The list shall be finalized in consultation with USAID Firms Project. The consultant shall take into account of the current and future growth of the sectors, export potential, government and donors policies about sector development with the ultimate objective of evaluating the labour absorption capacity.
Various organizations and government undertook the sector studies, of various sectors in previous years, which must be consulted to gauge the sector employment current status and potential.
The team leader will assist labour market expert (wage employment) arranging and conducting the focus groups, at least one for each sector, with the representatives of each sector including office bearers of sector associations. In FGDs, the various issues of employment and its connection with workforce development shall be explored, including the performance of sector specific vocational training institutes.
II. Service Sector: Labour market expert (wage employment) is required to explore the current expansion trends in service sector to identify emerging employment opportunities in various areas, including multinational, national and small scale enterprises.
Three FGDs shall be conducted, with the representation of respective associations, academic, and other stakeholders. The team leader will assist labour market expert (wage employment) arranging and conducting these focus groups.
c) Labour Export Sector: Team leader will supervise, monitor and coordinate the labour market expert (labour export) to identify the wage employment opportunities for the youth of these localities. A large number of semi skilled and skilled labour is going to Middle East for employment. By primary and secondary research, the labour market expert (labour export) shall explore the current and future potential of labour employment in these country in view of prevailing trends and upcoming mega projects in these countries especially in construction sector.
The labour market expert (labour export) is required to chalk out the promising vocational trade, which shall be in high demand in near future, especially related to the driving operations of construction machinery, such as dozer, shovel, excavator, small cranes etc., which are being used extensively and three months training is considered sufficient to train any person to operate these machines.
The consultant shall undertake secondary research as well as two FGDs with the representative of Ministry of Oversees Employment, recruitment agencies, Pakistani construction companies working in Middle East, NESPAK, etc.
For demand side analysis, in each of the following three aforementioned major areas, the team leader will ensure that two labour market experts should provide the details of current status and future trends including promising opportunities. The list of vocational trades be chalked out with course duration, prerequisite education for trainee, and suitable mechanism of job placement.
B3. Final Report & Presentation:
The team leader will write a comprehensive final report of the study, incorporating all of the sections written by the respective experts, his/her own findings, analysis and recommendations separately for men and women. He/she is required to deliver a presentation to USAID Firms Project and / or USAID to highlight main features of study report.
The final report must provide findings, analysis and recommendations for men and women, on demand and supply side. The consultant will make sure that both genders are catered for, separately, in sufficient detail for every section of the report
Deliverables. The substance of, findings on, and recommendations with respect to the above mentioned tasks shall be delivered by Consultant(s) in a written deliverable in the format presented to the Consultant by USAID Firms Project.
- A comprehensive report of entire study, addressing all of the aforementioned aspects, backed by data, analysis and recommendation, separately for men and women.
The Team Leader will also be responsible to ensure the following deliverables, related to him/her as well as his/her team members.
a. Supply Side (population):
- Survey instrument (questionnaire) for survey
- List of secondary resources consulted
- Focus Group Discussion (FGD); questionnaire sheet
- Lists of participants of FGDs
- Filled Questionnaires of survey and SPS software analysis in form of report (section of main report)
- A comprehensive overall report, highlighting the current situation backed by data, analysis and recommendations
b. Supply Side (Service Provider):
- A report (section of main report) about the workforce development / vocational training service providers of Karachi, offering courses for youth of poor and lower middle segments. The report encompass their current situation, infrastructure and facilities available, courses offered, gaps and deficiencies, suitability for the youth of three mentioned localities, scope of USAID assistance, and other factors mentioned in this ToR.
- List of secondary resources consulted
c. Demand Side:
The separate report (section of main report) shall be required on the following areas, encompassing current situation, future trends, labour absorption capacity, list of prospective vocational trades, strategy to identify the potential candidates, facilitation required in terms of scholarship, job placement, apprenticeship, internship etc.
- Self employment opportunities
- Wage employment opportunities -- Industrial Sector
- Wage employment opportunities -- Service Sector
- Wage employment opportunities -- Labour Export Sector
- List of documents, consulted for secondary research
- The list of participants of the FGDs
- The questions list of FGDs