Short-term Consultancy Service: Labour Market Study and Competencies Gap Assessment on Up-and-Coming Occupational Trends in Egypt Consultancy

Call for Short Concept Note: National: Short-term Consultancy Service:

Labour Market Study and Competencies Gap Assessment on “Up-and-Coming Occupational Trends in Egypt, Focus on the Northern & Delta Regions.”

Internationaler Bund e.V. (IB) together with IHK-Projektgesellschaft Ostbrandenburg gGmbH (Chamber of Commerce) has been implementing a Partner Africa project on behalf of the BMZ in Egypt since December 2022. The project “Skills4Trends” is commissioned by sequa gGmbH and will run until the end of 2025. The project aims to promote together with two Egyptian partner organisations decent work and employment[i] through training geared to future technological labour market trends and needs, incubation and partnerships with companies in the northern and Delta regions of Egypt.

For the implementation of the project on-site, IB is looking for a qualified short-term consultant (individual consultant or company) with experience in labour market studies, technical and vocational education and training and emerging technologies in Egypt. This Short-term Consultancy Service is to support the Egyptian partner organisations of the project in getting updated information on occupational trends in Egypt according to emerging technologies (e.g. smart construction, home automation, internet of things, virtual/augmented reality, aquaponics/hydroponics, renewable energy, 3D-printing, etc. – the most relevant technologies will be selected together with the project team in a scoping session at the start of the consultancy implementation) and assessing their employment potential and related skills development needs.

Scope of the service:

· Conduct research to identify new occupational trends in Egypt and assess their potential for business opportunities, by:

o Collecting and analysing recent reports and studies on Egypt’s economy and labour market.

o Review existing literature and data on new occupational trends and emerging technologies in Egypt.

o Conduct primary research through surveys, interviews, and focus groups with key stakeholders in the labour market.

· Analyse the labour market demand and future trends in emerging economic and business activities with a focus on new technology trends, such as smart construction, home automation, internet of things, virtual/augmented reality, aquaponics/hydroponics, renewable energy, 3D-printing, etc., by:

o Identifying the needs of Egyptian enterprises related to human resource development in the short-term and the required re- or up-skilling training courses in these new trends.

o Taking stock of and analysing the existing offers for reskilling/upskilling in the new trends.

o Providing an overview of the economic and social demand and future potential for extending or adapting short-term training offers for SMEs and their employees, entrepreneurs and other job seekers with prior training in related areas.

· Assess cross-cutting issues related to the demand and employment in the new trends, such as equal gender access, social acceptance, and occupational health and safety.

· Prioritize findings in terms of the need for modernized professions through vocational short-term training (re- or up-skilling).

· Formulate recommendations based on the key findings and results of this labour market study and competencies gap assessment.

A mixed methodology shall be applied to conduct this consultancy service, including desk research, verification of materials, stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions, etc.

Type of Contract:

Freelance Consultants and Consulting Firms as well as a combination of both are eligible to apply to this consultancy service. Within a short concept note (see below) the benefits of the suggested set-up can be explained.

The type of contract will vary depending on whether the contractor is an individual consultant or a consulting firm. If the contractor is a freelance consultant, a fee contract will be used. If the contractor is a consulting firm, a service agreement will be required.

Eligibility criteria:

The following award criteria will be taken into account, whereby all eligibility criteria must be met:

· A relevant university degree or equivalent diploma related to labour market studies, economics, international business development and/or technical and vocational education and training (TVET)

· A minimum of 5 years of proven working experience in the area of economic studies and labour market assessment, training needs assessment, TVET systems development or similar with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region

· Knowledge of and experience in applying economic/social research methodologies

· Strong analytical skills and attention to detail

· Excellent written and oral communication skills

· Fluency in English and Arabic

Award criteria:

· A comprehensive understanding and extensive knowledge of the Egyptian labour market and the challenges and opportunities it faces in terms of new occupational trends and emerging technologies.

· Experience in researching new occupational trends and identifying potential business opportunities.

· A proven track record conducting research studies and producing high-quality reports and presentations.

· Quality of concept note (see below)

· Fee rate per working day (price)

Scope of efforts:

· The implementation period is from 1.07.2023 until 30.09.2023.

· A total of up to 40 working days will be awarded.

· The place of the performance is Egypt.

Submission of a bid:

To submit a bid, please include the following documents:

· A cover email

· Meaningful consultant CV(s) that list similar and relevant consultancy services and assignments. In the case of a consulting firm, please also include a company profile with reference projects.

· An example of at least one similar consultancy service report that has been led by the consultant(s).

· A short concept note (maximum of 2 pages) that outlines the approach to the implementation of the consultancy service, including the methodology, activities timeline, foreseen tools, and major outputs.

· An indication of the fee rate per working day.

Kindly ensure that all the required documents are included in your bid submission.

Please submit your offer in English, including the required documents mentioned above, with the subject line “Egypt_LMS&CGA_on_New_Trends” to Ms. Rosina Dittrich at egypt-careers@ib.international;

The application deadline is midnight on June 18, 2023, Egypt Local Time. Please note that your offer will be binding until July 31, 2023. It is important to note that we will only be able to respond to shortlisted candidates who meet the eligibility criteria.

[i] Following the ILO decent work agenda.