Labour Market Needs Assessment Consultant 25 views0 applications

1. Nature of the consultancy:

Consultancy for Labour Market Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan.

2. Background and rationale:

Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. In September 2016, IOM joined the United Nations (UN) System and became the ‘UN Migration Agency’, consolidating a close operational and ideological relationship developed over decades.

With 166 member states, a further 8 states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

IOM works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration, to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.

The IOM Constitution recognizes the link between migration and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to the right of freedom of movement.

IOM works in the four broad areas of migration management:

· Migration and development

· Facilitating migration

· Regulating migration

· Forced migration.

IOM activities that cut across these areas include the promotion of international migration law, policy debate and guidance, protection of migrants’ rights, migration health and the gender dimension of migration.

Within IOM, the Migrant Assistance Division, a key activity in Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR). Return has gained renewed political importance in the agenda of national and international policymakers around the world because of its impact on host countries, transit countries, countries of origin and of course migrants and their communities. AVRR, firstly introduced by IOM in 1979, is increasingly looked at as an indispensable, effective component of contemporary migration governance, as it represents a humane and dignified way for a migrant to return, contributing to the socioeconomic well-being of migrants within their communities, and facilitating dialogue among all concerned stakeholders.

In line with the rising volume of migration in recent years, the number of AVRR beneficiaries has also significantly increased. In 2016, 98,403 migrants benefited from AVRR assistance, the highest level in the past fifteen years. Though returns from Europe constitute the highest caseloads still, South-South returns are on the rise also.

In the past eighteen months, significant steps have also been taken towards a more comprehensive approach to migrant reintegration. Stemming from the need to address the various factors that influence a person’s ability to reintegrate into their country of origin, the European Union and IOM developed the Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration, funded through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF). This initiative targets 14 west and central African countries, with some replication in North Africa and the Horn of Africa, aimed at increasing protection and assistance to vulnerable and stranded migrants.

Comoros and Sudan constitute the main countries of return for migrants stranded in Egypt. For that reason, IOM Egypt is embarking on a project piloting innovative new approaches to reintegration in these countries, in full complementarity with the EUTF initiative. This consultancy forms the cornerstone on which these pilot approaches will be built.

3. Purpose of Assignment:

This consultancy will provide an economic state/growth and labour market needs assessment (LMNA) and Implementation Plan (IP) for IOM missions in Egypt (managing locality), Comoros and Sudan (implementing localities). The assessment will provide baseline analyses of the supply of skills and the labour market demands in the implementing localities, as well of the opportunities for small-scale community and individual investments. The process of conducting this assessment will present opportunities for greater collaboration between various stakeholders so that proactive solutions can be developed to address various labour market issues. The results of the Assessment will be used to inform all stakeholders of the general trends in the economic growth and the labour market, and more importantly to highlight areas for skills training to support returning migrants to develop diverse, adaptable, appropriate and desirable skills that will propel and sustain their respective countries’ economic growth and development and enhance potential for sustainable economic reintegration within the community of origin.

The IP should highlight key government and private sector stakeholder needs and make recommendations for further engagement and small-scale investments in each of the implementing localities. For the managing locality, the recommendations should focus on a matrix of individual small-scale investment opportunities and labour market areas of relevance for each of the implementing localities, with a range of recommended skills training per sector and job level (entry level to professional and self-employed). A full review of relevant legislature in each of the localities (managing and implementing) should be included in the primary desk review and inform the field missions and final IP. The various aspects of the consultancy should not be viewed as a list of separate activities but a series of interconnected steps that will ultimately support the diversification of reintegration activities endorsed by IOM, in order to enhance the economy of the implementing missions, to create wealth and support the viability of reintegration packages and investments within the communities of origin, therefore enhancing the quality of the labour force and consequently the life of the community to which individuals return.

4. Key questions to be addressed:

1. What are the major factors that currently influence the economic state/growth and labour market in each of the implementing localities?
2. This will include analysis of the global and regional economies, regional labour market policies, technological advances, demographic factors (ageing population, low birth rates) labour movement (national/regional/international), investment (actual/potential), labour productivity, labour capacity and labour force participation.
3. Are the legislative and institutional frameworks for gathering and analysing economic state and labour market information fit for purpose? If not, what are the limitations of the consultancy?
4. Are the legislative, institutional and labour policy frameworks conducive to developing and enabling the business environment (ii) facilitating both private and public sector investment, and (iii) promoting a fair and inclusive labour market? If not, what recommendations can be made to the implementing missions and which stakeholders are key to engage?
5. What are the current and likely future labour market demands and investment opportunities? Analysis will help to clarify challenges and opportunities in the different economic sectors. This will include a baseline of the current situation in each of the implementing localities, potential growth for the future, Government priorities and plan for economic development and investment. It will also include an indication as to the capacity of the workforce and the education and training providers to meet future needs. This will help to better understand current skills gap and short-to-longer term skills needs, which will be translated into the recommendations made to the managing locality.
6. What is the perception of the influence of migration on the local economy and labour market? What experience do returning migrants have on return to the local economy and labour market? What measures can be implemented to improve this experience?
7. What are the challenges that will hinder implementing a comprehensive and integrated approach to the IP?

5. Scope of work:

Under the direction of IOM Egypt, and in consultation with IOM Comoros and IOM Sudan, the Consultant will develop and agree the scope and delivery of this work, taking account of private and public sector economic context and labour market needs, growth and opportunities, and importantly the time frame within which the work must be completed. Specific tasks will include:

Ø Facilitation of a primary desk review, including but not limited to:

· Existing relevant literature, research, policies and other sources of economic state and labour market information and identification of weaknesses in the institutional, legal and regulatory framework for operations, with a specific focus on application for migrants returning with the support of the IOM AVRR programme

· Existing economy and labour related institutional framework, policies, plans and legislation in relation to the investment and human development environments, outlining existing opportunities and challenges, with recommendations for navigation of the challenges

· Existing development plans and studies, such as the European Union Trust Fund Reintegration envelope and the potential synergies and complementarities that can be drawn

Ø Development of an approach paper that outlines the scope of work required to deliver an LMNA and IP in the contexts of Comoros and Sudan, drawing broader lessons and recommendations where possible

Ø A detailed Action Plan for the delivery of the work, including an outline of all tasks, timelines and dates of output delivery

Ø Development and agreement of a methodological approach, including an outline of survey/s required, survey design and implementation methodology, including the preparation of survey tools (e.g. survey questionnaires and interview schedules, focus group topics, field visits upon suggestion of IOM Missions in the implementing localities) and any related piloting and supplementary materials and capacity building activities with relevant stakeholders. Ethnic, gender and social exclusion analysis will be considered into the methodological approach, and include an appreciation of the profile of the population of economically active age, including youth and older workers. Collection of data will be disaggregated (sex, age, gender, ethnicity, education, skilled/non skilled, disability), to understand labour sector profiles, challenges and opportunities for all

Ø Execution of surveys as well as facilitation of focus groups and field visits as required

Ø Analysis and preparation of reports and preparation of economic state/growth and labour market projections and gap analysis

Ø Identification of any specific areas being considered by Government for economic growth and labour market development;

Ø Compilation of the Labour Market assessment and resulting IP

The work will be undertaken in consultation with private and public sector agencies, as well as existing and potential labour market participants, including youth. The consultancy will draw on perspectives and aspirations of the various stakeholders about future community and individual small-scale economic investments and labour market needs and trajectories, labour market competition and salaries and wage differentials, and opportunities and challenges related to population, labour migration (in both directions), graduate and vocational opportunities (considering existing technical and vocational education and training available), and so on.

To that end, the IP will also include:

a) A stakeholder mapping of interested parties/agencies to be involved and/or consulted during the process of this work

b) A draft report on the economic state/growth and labour market needs assessment and a presentation to relevant stakeholders before making final adjustments within the consultancy period

c) Complete and present the final results of LMNA and IP to the stakeholders.

6. Duration:

It is anticipated that the consultancy will be carried out between July to September 2018, of which period one month will be spent on field work missions. Data collection activities for the LMNA must commence by July 2018.

7. Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The successful consultant should have the following qualifications and experience:

· Advanced university degree in statistics, social science, economics, and/or a specialization in labour economics.

· Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience

· Working experience with senior representatives within government ministries, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations

· Skills and experience in sourcing and transferring information that has led to the development of labour market policies and strategies, preferably including first-hand experience in developing such policies and strategies, as well as in conducting studies and analysis on the economic sector and growth

· Proven substantial working experience in assessments, evaluations and/or reviews in related areas

· At least 5 years of experience in international co-operation and management of technical assistance (consultancy) contracts

· Full computer literacy

· Proven capacity to supervise and coordinate all administrative and technical aspects of the consultancy

· Excellent written and spoken English. Knowledge of French and Arabic would be an asset

· Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective relationships