ABOUT FIRST CONSULT
First Consult is a leading economic development consulting firm implementing projects in Ethiopia. Founded in 2006, First Consult (FC) has grown to design and implement projects across the agriculture, manufacturing, and service sectors. Our multidisciplinary teams combine a capacity to execute with clarity of the local context. As a result, we have delivered at-scale real impact in terms of job creation, business formation, business growth, and investment attraction and mobilization.
ABOUT THE BRIDGES PROGRAM
BRIDGES is a five-year program (2019-24) aiming to create and support 530,000 youth jobs, mostly for women. It’s implemented by First Consult in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. The program focuses on the manufacturing sector, covering all regions and city administrations to address unemployment in Ethiopia. BRIDGES supports both self- and wage-employment, targeting unemployed youth and enterprises, to provide them with demand-based skilling, information, mindset training, linkage, capacity building and access to finance. BRIDGES delivers this support in collaboration with its enabling partners including public and private organizations.
BACKGROUND
The BRIDGES Programme aims to create dignified and fulfilling jobs for graduates, semiskilled and low-skilled youth (80% women) through wage and self-employment opportunities. To prepare youths for available and suitable work, the BRIDGES Programme in collaboration with public and private institutions; has employed multiple methods that equipped youth with the employability and soft skills training and information they need to choose whether to pursue wage employment, self-employment, or further education.
Over the last three and a half years, BRIDGES has trained over 30,000 youths at different levels and supported their employment in different sectors of the economy. The training conducted is mainly through audio-visual training materials developed by the BRIDGES Programme and additional employability skills training manuals from service providers. Service providers have been using different training manuals and materials such as the BRIDGES’ audio-visual training material and integrating it with their own training manuals, to provide these training on employability and soft skill topics such as problem-solving, communication, teamwork, time management, goal Setting, customer service, adaptability, critical thinking, leadership, digital literacy, financial literacy, etc. The manuals that BRIDGES developed, called ASTER and YENE ALEM, are tailored for garment manufacturing and industry-generic respectively. They are aided by PowerPoint presentations, flashcards, and other materials. The BRIDGES Programme ventured out and expanded on employability skills training and facilitation of jobs in different sectors through its service providers. Although the delivery of training and facilitation of jobs were successful, the use of different training manuals by different service providers has made it difficult to manage the consistency and measurability of the training and its impact.
The different training manuals in use are of different quality due to a number of factors, such as the experience of developers, experience of trainers, quality and appropriateness of the content, and resources available to the service providers. Different manuals cover different topics with varying degrees of emphasis points, which makes it difficult for trainees to engage in a way that is useful and effective, and to achieve standard measurable outcomes throughout; therefore, needs identification and identification of emphasis points as well as standardization of materials is crucial in delivering effective training. By identifying the key areas of emphasis for trainees, trainers can focus on the most important skills and knowledge that jobseekers need to acquire while minimizing time spent on unnecessary topics. This can help learners to engage more effectively with the training and derive greater benefits from it. To address the aforementioned challenges, it is imperative for the BRIDGES Programme to develop a standard and consistent training curriculum that uses a variety of teaching methods equipped with a system for measuring impact.
The objective of designing a standard employability and soft skills training manual is to cater to the needs of target groups at different skill levels. For this reason, needs assessment will be given the highest priority as the foundational basis for the effective delivery of training. It is essential to consider the varying levels of knowledge and expertise of job seekers who may fall into different skill categories, such as low-skill, semi-skilled, highly skilled, and professional. This requires the use of diverse engagement methods and training content tailored to the specific needs of each group in order to ensure that the training is relevant and meaningful for learners. A Training of Trainers (ToT) segment should also be considered to ensure that trainers are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver high-quality training to learners across different target groups.
Generally, the standard employability and soft skills training manual could be customized to cater to different target groups (including but not limited to) the below segmentations:
- Experience and Exposure level of Jobseekers: The standard employability skills training manual should be designed to cater to learners with varying levels of work experience and exposure. For example, the training can be designed for learners with no prior work experience, learners with some work experience, or learners with extensive work experience.
- University and TVET Graduates and Prospective Graduates: Training for this group may include manuals on job search strategies, career planning, networking to help graduates transition from education to employment. The training should not only focus on developing skills that are relevant to graduates’ field of study, but also on the ability to be flexible to work in areas outside the focus of their study. In today’s fast-paced and rapidly-evolving job market, it is essential for graduates to be adaptable in their approach to work, developing a broad range of skills, including soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, financial literacy, and teamwork that are valuable in any field.
- High School Graduates: This group may require basic skills training in areas such as communication and time management, job search strategies, career planning, and career exploration, to help students make informed decisions about their future careers.
- Semi-skilled and Low-skilled Groups: This group may require basic skills such as communication, teamwork, and time management, financial management, and workplace ethics. With a focus on real-life scenarios and examples for job search strategies and career planning, the training for this group could help them find jobs or transition to more secure and better-paying jobs.
- Types of Jobs: The employability skills training manual will cater to different types of skills required on different jobs, such as office-based jobs, customer service jobs, or manufacturing jobs. The training should be tuned and emphasis made to the needs identified to the specific skills and knowledge required for each type of job, and should use examples and scenarios that are relevant to the specific job type.
- Training of Trainers (ToT) Component – The ToT segment in the employability skills training manual will ensure that trainers are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver effective training to learners across different target groups. The ToT segment for trainers, government focal persons, universities, TVETS, HR managers and supervisors may cover topics such as adult learning principles, training methods, and facilitation skills, as well as specialized skills such as assessment and evaluation.
- Training Delivery Methods: To engage learners across different target groups, the employability skills training manual should incorporate different interactive training delivery methods, such as lectures, workshops, digital materials, e-Learning, and audiovisual content. The training can also be personalized to the specific needs and preferences of each target group, using different approaches such as, blended learning, games, and personalized learning.
The overall objective of the standardized employability skills/soft skill curriculum and guideline will be to develop and train jobseekers with relevant skill sets which help them to acquire new jobs, improve their performance, improve their outlook or perception of work, and have realistic expectations of employers and the job market.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this ToR are to identify and hire a highly competitive, experienced, and capable consulting firm to deliver the following:
- A standard employability and soft skills training manual having different instructional methods and training content for different target groups (Experienced Professionals, University graduates, High school graduates, semiskilled, and low-skilled target groups).
- To develop a clear guideline and operational procedure: The firm will be responsible for developing a clear guideline and operational procedure for the employability and soft skills training manual. The guideline should provide clear instructions on how to conduct a gap or needs assessment of the target group, instruction on how to use the manual, as well as a list of the resources that are needed to deliver the training. The operational procedure should outline the steps that need to be taken to deliver the training, as well as the roles and responsibilities of participants.
- To handover all developed materials: The consulting firm will need to submit a job seeker’s training manual, a facilitator’s guide, and TOT materials for trainers.
The consultant will closely work with Frist Consult, training service providers, public institutions, development partners and other stakeholders.
SCOPE OF WORK
The activities in the assignment will be delivered in four different phases as described in the table below:
| Assignment phases | Activities |
| Phase 1: Desk review of existing employability skill and soft skill training materials used by different organizations | · Develop a framework of learning through review of relevant training documents/ materials and interview with business owners, government agencies, business development institutes, unemployed people, etc. · Map out existing good practices made by the government of Ethiopia and other stakeholders in the area of employability skill training for youth. · Identify gaps in the training materials, delivery methods and provide recommendation that fill the gaps. · Share the report of the desk review with the BRIDGES team as well as service providers actively working with First Consult and the BRIDGES program |
| Phase 2: Defining target groups and absorption capacity | · Identify criteria for target group categorization · Segment potential users of the employability and soft skill training manual · Indicate whether manuals and facilitation types differ per the target group and why |
| Phase 3: Development of standard employability and soft skill training manual | · Develop a standardized facilitation guide and training manual with different training sections for different target groups. · Define the scope of training (training content) This should include a list of the topics for each target group that will be covered. · A manual and guideline that includes condensed, youth-friendly, competency-based curricula and interactive contents (contents should also be used for audio-visual and e-learning approaches). · Develop a clear training objective, i.e. what we want trainees to be able to do after completing the training · Clear classification of target audience such as (low-skilled jobseekers, semi-skilled and highly skilled jobseekers, High school graduates, University and TVET graduates, and Experienced professionals) · Training of Trainers component to cover topics such as adult learning principles, training methods, and facilitation skills, as well as specialized skills such as assessment and evaluation, gender-sensitive and inclusive practices · Monitoring and Results measurement system: For both physical and /or e-learning methods, creating a feedback system that will help trainers and service providers to identify areas where they need to improve and to make progress over time, system and tools to assess the impact of the training; this will help to determine whether the training is effective and to make improvements to the training program |
| Phase 4: Conduct a validation workshop | · Conduct a validation workshop in partnership with government, development partners and selected private training providers. · Modify the content of the training modules and delivery channels based on feedback from participants. |
DELIVERABLES AND TIMEFRAMES
The consultant is expected to deliver the following:
- Inception report followed along with timeline and methodology in developing the training manual section.
- Specific training target groups must be identified and supported by rationalization in a clear manner
- Prepare the employability skill training manual (1st draft) clearly showing the different sections for different target groups and incorporating the feedback received during the inception report-sharing meeting.
- Prepare training facilitation guidelines of employability skill training manual
- Prepare a final version of the manual by incorporating the feedback from BRIDGES team. The final version of the manual should be comprehensive, age-appropriate and reflect gender-sensitive and inclusive practices in the session facilitation methodology.
- Submit the final manual along with guidelines in both soft and hard copies.
The assignment should be completed within two months from the date of contract agreement. A detailed work plan must be submitted along with the proposal, which will be used to assess progress.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
The service provider should:
- Be a licensed and qualified consultant with at least ten years of prior work experience in the field of manual development and training delivery.
- Have demonstrated knowledge and experience in training manuals development and facilitation of training
- Have strong network and linkage with different market actors (private sectors, government counterparts etc. Experience in working with service providers, training providing institutions, SMEs, job seekers and stakeholders.
WORKING ARRANGEMENTS
NB: First Consult retains the right to request a consortium approach involving two or three bidders working together.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Proposals should include:
- Technical Proposal (maximum 25 pages), excluding company profile, CVs of key team members, legal documents (renewed businesses license, TIN and VAT registration certificates) and testimonials, and recommendation letters from previous work which can be attached as annexes. The technical proposal is expected to include the following sections
- Understanding of the ToR and assignment;
- Proposed methodology;
- Quality assurance mechanisms;
- Project work plan detailing the anticipated delivery dates of the deliverables defined in the scope of work;
- Company profile with relevance to the required work, detailed CVs of consultant/s, and references on previous similar works.
- Financial Proposal (to be submitted separately)
- Should disclose all charges that will be transferred to BRIDGES as a result of the services provided by the consultant.
- Quote an estimated total fee for completing all requirements outlined in this ToR.
- The currency for this contract will be Ethiopian Birr (ETB).
PROPOSAL EVALUATION
BRIDGES will review submitted proposals in accordance with the qualification and experience requirements and specific tasks stated above. The best technical and financial bids will be those that demonstrate value-for-money and budget of which is closely tied to the rationally determined methodological approach and plausible remuneration rates.
Criteria and Scores
The following weight will be used to evaluate proposals.
| Item | Score |
| Team composition, competencies and track record | 35% |
| Proposed approach and methodology | 40% |
| Financial proposal | 25% |
NB: – The five shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews as part of the ToR selection process.
SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
The deadline for proposal submission is June(GMT+3:00). Softcopies of technical and financial proposals separately saved in PDF format should be submitted on or before the deadline to the following email address:
Proposal submission address: bids1@firstconsultet.com
The subject of the email should be stated as “Terms of Reference for Comprehensive Employability and Soft Skill Training Manual.”
For any queries relating to this assignment, please contact Dagmawi Admasu at dadmasu@firstconsultet.com
A virtual information session will be organized on Zoom on June 22, 2023 at 10:00 AM (GMT+3:00) for those who request invitation by sending an email to: dadmasu@firstconsultet.com
