Relevant Experience:
- He/she must have Masters degree in MBA / Development Economics /Social Sciences or B.Sc. in Engineering
- At least seven years of progressive professional experience related to labour market / job placement / international labor recruitment or similar field
- He/she must have vast experience and in-depth understanding of international labor markets, as well as international exposure
- Experience of such study / research is desired
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Job Description:
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 (men and women) that can help them secure employment in various sectors facing shortage of labor.
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 (men and women), and major restraining factor to acquire vocational skills. On other side, the study will identify the unmet needs of semi skilled / skilled labor of various industrial and service sectors as well as the available job opportunities in self employment sectors and in labor market of other countries, especially the Middle East.
This objective of this consultancy / SOW is to perform the demand side analysis of labour export market by identifying and analysis the job opportunities available to semi skilled / skilled labor force in Middle East and other countries in view of their economic growth trends and upcoming mega projects therein.
B. Principal Duties & Responsibilities. Under this consultancy, the consultant will 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:
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:
- Reports of Ministry of Oversees Pakistanis related to labor market / job opportunities in Middle East and other countries
- Websites of governments and other organizations of potential countries
- Any other relevant report / study / data
- The Expert will identify the countries particularly of Middle East, that can provide job opportunities of skilled / semi skilled Pakistani youth in near future.
- By primary and secondary research, perform an analysis of the economic growth of these countries by listing down the industrial / business sector, experiencing rapid growth. Furthermore, identify the mega project that are in progress or about to start in these countries.
- The employment rate of women is increasing in Middle East and other countries due to change in social and cultural practices. The expert will investigate the emerging employment opportunities in these countries for women; and skills required for these employments.
- Explore the current and future potential of labor employment, both for men and women, in these countries, prevailing trends and upcoming mega projects, with special focus in the construction sector for men and retailing sector for women.
- Chalk out promising vocational trade, which shall be in high demand in the 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.
- Provide the knowledge, skills and experience requirements of such jobs and recommendation for possible interventions of USAID to facilitate youth in getting jobs.
- 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.
- The Expert will interact frequently with Vocational Training Expert for sharing of qualitative and quantitative data & information in order to be on same page regarding employment opportunities and related vocational training opportunities.
The Expert will write down a comprehensive report (section of main report), on the basis of secondary and primary research, addressing all aforementioned aspects of the demand side of employment along with findings, analysis, and recommendations
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 the Team Lead.
a) List of documents, consulted for secondary research
b) The list of participants of the FGDs
c) The questions list of FGDs
d) A report (section of main report) encompassing the job opportunities available for semi skilled / skilled labor force in Middle East and other countries in view of economic growth trends and upcoming mega projects, especially in construction sector. The report must identify the trades / areas, where youth can get jobs after acquiring the vocational training. Moreover, report should address the education, skills, knowledge and experience prerequisites and the possibility of USAID interventions to facilitate job seekers.
The reports must provide findings, analysis and recommendations separately for men and women.