Call for proposal Terms of Reference For an external consultancy to conduct DACUM analysis and develop occupational standards and competency‐based curriculum for one occupation

Background                      

Lebanon continues to face a serious and increasingly challenging employment and labour market situation, exacerbated by the financial and economic crisis starting in 2019 and the COVID‐19 pandemic that hit the country in 2020, bringing the economic activity to a halt. The multiple crises endured by Lebanon have worsened already fragile socio‐economic conditions, resulting in heightened levels of vulnerability, poverty and informality, and disproportionately affecting marginalized groups including refugees but also increasingly the host communities.

In 2022, youth unemployment rate in the country reached 47.8 per cent, almost twice the adult unemployment rate (25.6 per cent), while the rate of labour underutilisation among the youth – combined rate of unemployment, time‐related underemployment and potential labour force – reached 64.2 per cent. Lebanon’s large Syrian refugee population in particular suffers high levels of unemployment and vulnerability, with 67 per cent Syrian refugee youth neither employed, nor in education or training. Because of the high cost and difficulties associated with obtaining a work permit, most Syrians work in the informal economy.  

Structural challenges in Lebanon, such as skills mismatch, have long hindered progress towards full and productive employment in the country, with the skills provided by training and education institutions not adequately and fully responding to the labour market needs. The COVID‐19 pandemic, which led to unprecedented job losses, has also exacerbated pre‐existing challenges in many sectors, including skills mismatches and a lack of and/or unequal access to skills development opportunities, particularly among vulnerable populations.

To address these issues, ILO, jointly with other development partners, is implementing several projects that aim to help Lebanese and refugee youth to enter the labour market by improving access to and capacities to deliver market relevant Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The ILO is supporting formal TVET as well as non‐formal vocational training providers in the country to improve the quality and market relevance of skills training.

Within the above mentioned project, the ILO and UNICEF have been developing and upgrading competency‐based training programmes relevant to the labour market demand. In 2020, the ILO developed Competency‐Based Training manual providing guidance to TVET developers, administrators and instructors on the design, delivery and assessment of competency‐based training (CBT) programmes, in addition to developing 10 competency‐based curricula based on the results of the labour market studies.

Continuing its efforts to improve the competency‐based training programmes, the ILO aims to develop a competency‐based curriculum for one occupation identified to be in demand in Lebanon. 

Based on the various sector studies conducted by ILO between 2018 and 2020 (printing and packaging, agri‐business, agriculture, craft, and community‐based assessment), employers highlighted a shortage in both labour and skills for technicians as paper and carton machine operators, electricians, printing supervisors, and machinery and equipment maintenance workers. Furthermore, companies in printing and packaging voiced their demand for machine operators and maintenance technicians who can monitor and fix their equipment of German origin. In the 2020 ETF employers’ survey in agri‐food business, employers identified the most needed technical skills are those related to machinery operation and maintenance. Training on operating machines is purely of work‐based learning nature due to the fact that a) such technical skills are not fully taught and integrated in the education curricula, b) non‐availability of up‐to‐date machines at TVET providers, and c) specificity of this occupation based on the industry sector and machinery used at the industries. 

In this regard, the ILO is partnering with the Association of Lebanese Industrialist (ALI) to further define the scope of the machine operator occupation (with a focus on agri‐food processing, and/or packaging) that best fit the market demand and ALI’s interest. The ILO will recruit a consultant to conduct the technical development work which includes the following steps: profiling of the occupation, analysis of duties and tasks as per DACUM approach, development of occupational standards and competency‐based curricula for potential use in formal and non‐formal training and work‐based learning. ALI will be responsible of identifying and reaching out to relevant practitioners and master craftpersons to involve in the various steps. ALI will coordinate with the consultant for the organization of relevant workshops with practitioners and handle all logistics preparation for the development and validation workshops of the products including invitation, note taking, refreshments, stationary, etc…

Objective of the Consultancy

The overall objective of this consultancy is to develop occupational standards as well as competencybased curricula for a machine operator occupation, which has been identified as an occupation in demand, according to joint ILO and European Training Foundation’s studies. The assignment will involve defining scope of the occupation, DACUM analysis, development of occupational standards, development of competency‐based curriculum (with potential use for formal and non‐formal/WBL training), and development of learning  guide and summative assessment. The approach should follow the ILO Competency‐Based Training (CBT): An Introductory Manual for Practitioners.  

Scope of work 

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the acting Chief Technical Adviser for Skills

Portfolio / National Project Coordinator and in close coordination with Senior Skills and Employability specialist to develop occupational standards and competency‐based curriculum for the selected occupation. The curricula would take into consideration relevant OSH, assessment and certification, integration of life skills and it will be used for implementing short term training programmes (3 to 9 months). The later target various groups including Lebanese, refugees, youth and others, new entrants/low skilled or in business/ skilled or with experience.

Tasks and duties:

1. Preparatory work

1.1 Finalize selection of the occupation in coordination with ALI and ILO

1.2 Define the scope of the analysis (specialities, job categories, type and size of organizations, etc.)

1.3 Prepare criteria for selection of practitioners (committee members) and coordinate with ALI

1.4 Contact proposed practitioners by ALI, assess and validate their participation

1.5 Finalize the selection of practitioners (up to 8 members)

2. Develop charts of competencies through DACUM approach

2.1. Prepare agenda for the workshop and schedule dates in coordination with ALI

2.2. Prepare invitation text and coordinate and follow‐up with ALI

2.3. Facilitate a 2‐day face‐to‐face DACUM workshop to develop the DACUM competency chart for the selected occupation 

2.4. Draft the DACUM competency chart and validate online with committee members

2.5. finalize the DACUM competency chart based on feedback received from validation

2. Develop occupational competency standard for the selected occupation

2.1. Prepare agenda for the workshop, schedule dates, and invitation text to the committee members; Coordinate and follow‐up with ALI

2.2. Facilitate a 2‐day face‐to‐face workshop/meeting to validate the DACUM charts and conduct detailed task analysis for the selected occupations

2.3. Draft the occupational competency standard for the selected occupation and validate online with committee members

2.4. Finalize the occupational competency standard based on feedback received from validation

3. Develop competency‐based curriculum 

3.1. Prepare agenda for the workshop and background materials, schedule dates, and invitation text to the committee members; Coordinate and follow‐up with ALI

3.2. Facilitate a 2‐day face‐to‐face workshop for the committee members

3.3. Develop competency‐based curriculum for the selected occupation

4. Validate, finalize and submit the curriculum and final products

4.1. Prepare agenda for the validation workshop, background materials, schedule date and invitation text to the committee members; coordinate and follow‐up with ALI

4.2. Facilitate the validation of all products for submission through a one day workshop with committee members

4.3. Finalise the CBT curricula (learning guide and summative assessment)

Expected key outputs

• Revised workplan
• Summary analysis of occupation selection
• List of criteria for selection of practitioner; list of practitioners selected including contact details and profile
• Workshops agenda, invitation texts, presentations where relevant (Eng/Ar)
• DACUM chart of competencies (Eng/Ar)
• Occupational competency standards (Eng/Ar)
• Competency‐based curricula (learning guide and summative assessment) (Eng/Ar)

Timeplan and deliverables

As part of this contract, the activities are to be conducted within the provisional period from 1 November 2022 to 16 December 2022 consuming a maximum of 24 working days. The activities will be closely coordinated with ILO project team members. 

Draft workplan                 

Please find attached in the ToR a Detailed workplan to be proposed by the consultant.   

All data and information received from ILO for this assignment are to be treated confidentially and are only to be used in connection with the execution of these Terms of Reference (ToR). The contents of written materials obtained and used in this assignment may not be disclosed to any third parties without the express advance written authorization of the ILO. All intellectual property rights arising from the execution of these ToR are assigned to the International Labour Organization. The intellectual property rights of the materials modified through the assignment remains with the International Labour Organization

Budget and Payment schedule      

Payment will be made upon submission of deliverables and against invoice as approved by ILO. 

1st installment: 50% of total budget upon submission of draft DACUM chart and Occupational Standards (Eng/Ar), and other deliverables for activities related to these products including revised workplan, Summary analysis of occupation selection, List of criteria for selection of practitioner; list of practitioners selected including contact details and profile

2nd installment: 50% of total budget upon submission of final validated products (DACUM chart, occupational standards, curricula) in Eng/Ar and all deliverables as per ILO satisfaction and approval

Consultant: Qualifications requirements: education, language, experience and competencies.

Education: University degree in a related subject (social sciences, economics, education, business administration, international relations etc.)

Experience: Experience in developing occupational standards and competency‐based curricula using DACUM method. Experience working with international organization / technical agency is a plus. 

Language: Excellent command of verbal and written English and Arabic.

Competencies:

∙ Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write accurate reports and to obtain cooperation with partners and stakeholders;

∙ Ability to take ownership of all responsibilities, to act with integrity and transparency by maintaining social, ethical and organisational norms, and to meet all commitments within the prescribed time, and quality standards;

∙ Ability to understand and work with different cultures, particularly in the context of the Arab States.