Role of Private Sector in Skills Development and Employment of Young people in Syria – National Consultant

The purpose of this consultancy assignment is to establish how the private sector can be tapped as a strategic partner in enhancing employment opportunities for young people through skills development and skills labor market needs matching, on the job training and linkages. It will further show how we can partner with the private sector in Syria not as a donor but as partner of shared value.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Hope

Title of the Consultancy:

Role of Private Sector in Skills Development and Employment of Young people in Syria – National Consultant

Section in Charge:

Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP)

Objectives of the Consultancy (Purpose of the Assignment)

Getting youth into productive employment is an urgent policy issue for countries around the world. Many governments in low and middle-income countries are actively engaged in policies to help youth attain the skills they need to do well in work and in life, as well as to find suitable employment. Preliminary data from the UNICEF Generation Unlimited Campaign, projects that by 2030 there will be 2 billion young women and men seeking opportunities for a bright future throughout the world. With education, skills and empowerment, these young people will help transform economies and nations. However, a fast-changing global economy demands increasingly specialized skills at a time when many education systems are struggling.

Increasingly, it has come to be recognized that the private sector and employers have a vital role to play in developing and implementation of youth development and participation programs and in planning national strategies for skills development. There are several reasons for this i.e. partnerships with the private sector can inject resources beyond what strapped governments can muster for these programs and act as providers of training and on the job learning that is responsive to the labor market needs. The most crucial factor, however, is the realization that only with active engagement of employers can the development of skills, both in schools and training programs, be aligned with actual requirements in the labor market. In many countries, the effectiveness of technical vocational education and training (TVET) systems has suffered by being heavily driven by the supply side, with curricula and standards developed without substantial input from employers, hence without appropriate incorporation of the needs of the labor market.

The involvement of the private sector in youth skills development and employment is a complex issue because of the nature of the labor industry now and their motivations vary significantly. The private sector currently active in Syria may be motivated by direct productivity or profit objectives i.e. to secure a skilled workforce, or reliable suppliers - but also, or even primarily, by corporate social responsibility (CSR) factors. Vocational training centers, training institutes or employment services will be driven by profit considerations when entering these markets and deciding what services to offer and to whom hence the need for youth skillsets to be aligned to labor market needs

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this consultancy assignment is to establish how the private sector can be tapped as a strategic partner in enhancing employment opportunities for young people through skills development and skills labor market needs matching, on the job training and linkages. It will further show how we can partner with the private sector in Syria not as a donor but as partner of shared value. This will be achieved through the below objectives:

1. Identify what skills do young people in Syria need/require to become more employable; are we providing these skills; if not what are the skills gaps or shortages
2. Review the existing training levies and their role in financing the expansion of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Syria: Integrating labor market needs into TVET and skills building programmes
3. Establish how to engage the private sector employers in adolescent skills development and utilization at the local level: Establish how to shape the framework, conditions for private sector engagement in adolescent skills development and employment.
4. Establish how to effectively work with the private sector in matching of available young people skillsets to existing employment opportunities and how to better enhance competence development for Young people: On job training, apprenticeship and internships.

Location (Geographic Area/Duty Station):

Damascus, Syria (with travel to Damascus, Tartous and Aleppo)

On-site working days: 40

Off-site working days: None

Field Missions/Travel: 40 (UNICEF will manage and pay for travel via Travel Authorization)

Duration:

Estimated Start Date: 1 June 2019

Estimated End Date: 30 September 2019

The selected consultant will work for the period of 80 work days within 4 months June -September 2019. It is envisaged:  0 workdays out of county and 80 days in the country. The exact schedule of the activities will be agreed with the consultant based on the consultancy implementation progress. The deadline for submission of final deliverables to UNICEF is 30 September 2019. 

Supervisor:

The consultant will be supervised and report to the UNICEF Chief, Youth and Adolescent Development with regular de-briefing with the Deputy Representative about the progress of the consultancy. The consultant will work on daily basis with UNICEF ADAP section).

Payment Methodology:

By deliverables(milestone payment based on achievement of specific deliverables)

Qualification Requirements:

Education:

• • A minimum of master’s degree in development economics, strategic management or organizational development.

Work experience:

• • Over 5 years’ experience preferably a combination of academic and technical experience in social, economic and strategy fields.
  • Experience in conducting similar studies on labor market and private sector 
  • Geographic expertise/experience in Middle East, preferably Syria
  • Demonstrable expertise and experience on youth development and employment, innovation and economic empowerment is desired.

Technical knowledge/ competencies:

• • Evidence of successfully designing and managing large scale, rigorous and robust research processes (demonstrable through at least three comparable pieces of research in the area of youth development and participation, economic security, disability inclusion and livelihoods).
  • Demonstrable experience of designing and leading rigorous research, including quantitative and qualitative methods and analysis
  • Evidence of producing clear, concise reports in English that are high quality 

Language:

• • Writing and Speaking fluency in both English and Arabic required.

View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.