Skills Assessment Survey Consultant 54 views1 application

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(INDIVIDUAL CONSULTING SERVICES)

Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI)

Education and Skills Strengthening Project

Grant no.: IDA-D7600

Assignment Title: Skills Assessment Survey Consultant

Reference No.: MH-MOE-321795-CS-INDV

The Government of the Republic of Marshall Islands has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Education and Skills Strengthening Project (ESSP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services (“the Services”) will assist the Project Manager and the RMI National Training Council to effectively implement the World Bank-funded project.

The assignment will focus on supporting the ESSP project activities by strengthening labor market intermediation and informing training investments thus ensuring that training and skills development matches demands in the jobs that are available

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment is indicated in the attached Terms of Reference (ToR).

The National Training Council now invites eligible individuals (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services (attach a Cover Letter of no more than four (4) pages addressing the mandatory experience and qualification requirements curriculum vitae with description of experience in similar assignments, similar conditions, etc.). Firms’ staff may express interest through the employing firm for the assignment and, under such a situation, only the experience and qualifications of individuals shall be considered in the selection process. The criteria for electing the Consultant are:

Mandatory Qualifications and Experience:

• Master’s Degree in business, social sciences, anthropology, sociology, economics or education, statistics, or related sciences
• 5 years’ experience in policy development, management, and implementation
• 2 years’ experience in the designing and implementation of professional development program to build capacity of adult learners
• At least 2 assignments (skill assessment) of similar nature
• Experience and knowledge in online training, intelligent course recommendations and online coaching

Desirable Qualifications and Experience:

• Experience of working with Pacific Developing Countries

The attention of interested Consultants (including firms) is drawn to paragraph 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016 revised November 2020 “Procurement Regulations”, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours; 0900 to 1700 hours local time.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by email) by 5:00pm, 13^th December, 2022. The subject line should state: “Skills Assessment Survey Consultant” – full name of the candidate”.

Julius Lucky
Director

National Training Council
ntcdr@ntcinfo.org

Phone: 692 625-4521

Cc: jpaul@pss.edu.mh

Malie Tarbwillin

Assistant Secretary,
Division of International Development Assistance
didadirector@gmail.com : filipesefeti@gmail.com

Phone: 692 625 5968

Susan Kommwa

Project Manager, ESSP

suekommwa@gmail.com

Phone: +265 999 521 818

Republic of the Marshall Islands

Ministry of Education, Sports and Training

Draft Terms of Reference

 Individual Consultant

1. BACKGROUND

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is one of the world’s smallest, most isolated, and vulnerable nations. The country consists of 29 atolls and five individual islands (24 out of these 34 atolls and islands are inhabited). It covers an area of 1.9 million square km (around the size of Mexico) but has just 181 square km in land area (around the size of Washington, DC). The population was estimated at 58,413 in 2018, of which around 28,000 (53 percent) reside in Majuro (the country’s capital) and 10,000 (18 percent) in Ebeye, the two largest urban centers. Its low elevation makes the country highly vulnerable to natural and climate related disasters threatening the physical viability of some areas of the main and more remote outer islands (OI).

Project summary

Presented to the World Bank Board of Directors for approval in December 2020, the Education Skills Strengthening Project (ESSP) was approved on 21 st January 2021, declared effective on 6 th April 2021, and will be active until January 2026.

The overall objective of the Education Skills Strengthening Project (ESSP) is to increase access to and quality of technical and vocational education and training opportunities and improve labor market outcomes for Marshallese beneficiaries in RMI and abroad. This project supports four components. The first and second components focus on the accessibility and quality of selected education and training programs offered in public secondary schools, public post-secondary institutions (CMI and USP), and private training providers. The third component focuses on academic and career counseling as well as labor market intermediation services. The fourth component supports project implementation and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Within the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Training (MoEST), the first component will be managed by PSS, the second and third by NTC, and the fourth jointly by NTC and PSS.

The second component which supports this assignment aims at increasing equitable access to quality and relevant (a) TVET programs (1-2) years leading to college- level certification or diploma and short (less than a year) skills development courses. Sub-component 2.1 will support the design and delivery of demand-driven skills development programs through (a) provision of training grants to training providers for training activities and (b) construction, rehabilitation, and equipping of training facilities.

The offering of demand-driven TVET college-level programs and skills development courses targeting secondary school graduates and out-of-school, jobseekers (with and without secondary school diploma) will be improved and expanded. Programs will be embedded in clear education and career pathways and aligned with labor market needs with training providers being required and incentivized (through the result-based agreements) to seek inputs from employers when planning courses; include explicit focus on developing soft skills and other general workforce readiness attributes such as problem solving, communication skills, and work ethic; and embed (to the extent possible) the use of digital technology for delivering instruction.

Implementation arrangements for the project include a Project Implementation Unit(PIU) which consists of two Project Directors (one appointed from each of  the Public School System (PSS) and the National Training Council (NTC), both of which are agencies under the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Training), a Project Manager, three Component Coordinators (one for Component 1 of the Project, one for Component 2 and 3 of the Project, and one Coordinator for Kwajalein Atoll), a Program Assistant, a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, and a Communications Officer.

1. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The objective of this consultancy is as follows:

1. Analyze and identify current competency needs and skills gap within RMI, in addition, provide an overview of skills and employment history desired and preferred by employers
2. create a framework to identify market relevant TVET and skills. Through the skills data gathered, identify skills mismatches, thereby contributing to an improved understanding of employer demand (jobs available or expected skills / qualifications) and skills gaps in the Marshallese economy.
3. Develop a set of recommendations to aid in future programmatic decision making on vocational training curriculum and better linkages to the private sector through job matching or apprenticeship opportunities,
4. Assess the current process and propose a workable RMI-relevant mechanism for the official recognition of skills gained through work experience. The purpose of the mechanism is to strengthen workforce planning and employment services to improve labor market outcomes for Marshallese at home and abroad.

III.      SCOPE OF SERVICES

The proposed scope of work and deliverable are as follows:

Phase 1: Skills profiling and gap analysis

1. Conduct qualitative data collection by interviewing a cross section of stakeholders to ascertain industries / jobs of focus and interests. These include government officials, top industry leaders, TVET institutions, students, teachers, and associations, amongst others both in RMI and US.
2. Conduct Labor Market Information (LMI) Research, where key jobs/occupations will be identified, and skills demanded by the market based on national level statistics and job boards. This serves to inform skills and jobs that are demanded by employers.
3. Conduct skills validation research of vocational students and RMI workforce
4. Recommend to NTC skills profiling digital tools, which will provide insights to skills and job interests.
5. Collect quantitative data and assess the situation related to employment of vulnerable groups such as women, youths, and deportees
6. Identify key workforce migration patterns to different countries for employment
7. Conduct interviews and data collected to identify the focal sectors, overlapping skills (skills that match market demand) as well as the skills gaps (skills that are in demand in the market but are lacking in the vocational students and RMI workforce).

Phase 2: Development of sectoral skills frameworks

1. Design an implementation plan for the development of a sectoral skills framework based on the Singaporean model (or any other similar model which can be adapted to the RMI context) https://www.skillsfuture.gov.sg/skills-framework
2. Produce a model skills framework for three occupations (jobs) as a template; the framework will include training plans.

Phase 3: Development of training plans for identified occupations (identified under phase 1 of this assignment).

1. Oversee the development and recommend changes to the curricula being developed under subcomponent 1.2.1: Vocational skills Track. Ensuring compliance with international best practices relevant to RMI, leveraging of technology to help RMI workforce and TVET students acquire employability skills, navigate future of work, with the goals of enhancing their employability and employment outcomes.
   

1. INSTITUTIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
   

During the assignment the consultant will work closely with the National Training Council, Public School System, College of the Marshall Island, University of the South Pacific, Private and Public Sectors, Employers, US Army Garrison Kwajalein and Relevant RMI Authorities.

The Consultant will report directly to the Project Manager and work in close collaboration with the Component 2 and 3 Coordinator during the assignment. The Consultant will also work closely with the staff of NTC and the training providers. The Government of RMI will provide necessary documents such as the Project Appraisal Document, Project Operational Manual, and all existing reports and materials related to the Project. 

1. DURATION, LOCATION AND CONDITION

The position is a part time position which requires work from location of residence with missions to Majuro or Ebeye, the duration of the assignment will be for 180 days spread over 6 months.

 REPORTING AND DELIVERABLES  

The Consultant will submit the following reports:

1. Inception Report: The inception report should at a minimum include a work plan defining the phases of the assignment, key deliverables and milestones; the assessment methodology containing data collecting tools and analysis methods and a framework for the training guidelines and needs assessment report to be submitted 3 weeks after signing the contract.
2. Draft Report: outlining the detailed findings, to be submitted during the 10th week after signing the contract
3. Final report to be submitted 4 weeks before end of contract, outlining the detailed report on:

• A skills gap analysis report, including necessary skills training, identified barriers regarding skills, legal framework, and cultural practices if any, and preliminary indicative training curricula development to inform vocational training and recommendations of key sectors / skills. The report should be both in word and delivered in ppt format
• Plan for the development of a sectoral framework.
• Training plans for occupations to serve as guides for the development of skills needed for the identified occupations. This report shall be circulated to TVET stakeholders, and the consultant shall incorporate feedback from major national stakeholders, training centers and PIU. This shall be submitted within one week after receiving feedback from stakeholders. The PIU will coordinate the comments from all stakeholders and forward to the consultant, within two weeks after receiving the draft, to enable the consultant to finalize the report.

IIV.    Qualifications and Experience Requirements  

1. Mandatory Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s Degree in business, social sciences, anthropology, sociology, economics or education, statistics, or related sciences
• 5 years’ experience in policy development, management, and implementation
• 2 years’ experience in the designing and implementation of professional development program to build capacity of adult learners
• At least 2 assignments (skill assessment) of similar nature
• Experience and knowledge in online training, intelligent course recommendations and online coaching

1. Desired Qualifications and Experience
   

• Experience of working with Pacific Developing Countries