Technical ,Vocational Education and Training Specialist.

REQUEST FOR CONSULTANTS

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education Directorate of Technical, Vocational Education and Training Somalia and ADRA is seeking to recruit Technical and Vocational Education and Training Specialist.

I. Background Information

The Ministry of Education, Culture & Higher Education of the Somali Federal Government is responsible for establishing quality education system for all Somali citizens that offers equal opportunities and promotes respect for human rights and observes Islamic principles as articulated in the provisional Constitution of the Federal Government of Somalia (2012) and the National Education Policy (revised in 2023). The Overall goal of the education sector is to ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood, basic and primary, secondary, technical, and vocational, higher education, and complete with relevant and effective learning outcomes. The strategic goals of the sector are governed by the National Development Plan (2020-2024) and the Education Sector Strategic Plan (2022-2026) and the main subsector policies including but not limited to National Education Policy, Higher Education Act, Basic Education Act, etc.

The Ministry has recently established a dedicated TVET Directorate with a Director General and supporting staff. The vision of the Directorate of is to expand the access of TVET skills, improve quality and strengthen TVET regulatory frameworks. Currently, the Directorate is focused on harmonizing existing TVET curriculum, developing a TVET Policy, establishing a TVET Qualification Framework, revising the technical and professional institutes and organizing a National TVET Conference to stimulate investment in the TVET subsector.

III. Position Summary

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education of the Federal Government of Somalia is seeking to recruit a TVET specialist impeded at the Directorate of TVET. The specialist will support the TVET Directorate to expand access to quality TVET and strengthen TVET policies and regulatory frameworks. He/she will provide technical inputs to all aspects of TVET subsector.

IV. Key responsibilities

1. Enhance TVET Directorate Capacity: Develop a comprehensive plan to strengthen the TVET Directorate’s capacity for effective regulation and improvement of the subsector.
2. TVET Directorate Work Plan Development: Develop and oversee the implementation of TVET work plans, ensuring they are executed efficiently, timely, and align with program priorities.
3. Monitoring and Reporting: Monitor the progress of TVET programs and prepare various reports, including monthly, quarterly, annual, and ad-hoc reports.
4. National Vocational Qualification Systems: Assist in the development of national vocational qualification systems, including qualification frameworks, accreditation, and quality assurance.
5. Capacity Development Initiatives: Participate in designing, steering, coordinating, and implementing TVET capacity development initiatives and quality assurance measures in collaboration with stakeholders.
6. Strategy Advice on Learning Pathways: Provide expert advice on internships, apprenticeships, and other learning pathways to improve services for youth through skills development organizations.
7. Curriculum Development Support: Support the development and implementation of high-quality technical and vocational curriculum, including occupational standards, assessment criteria, and modern training techniques.
8. Revival of Technical Institutes: Lead initiatives to revive technical and professional institutes in designated regions and devise tools to track progress effectively.
9. Program design and evaluation: Actively participate in program design, implementation, evaluation, and monitoring, generating reports as required.
10. Overall Planning and Management: Contribute to the overall planning and management of the TVET functional area in close collaboration with the Department of TVET.
11. TVET Policy development and implementation: Contribute to the implementation of strategies and policies related to TVET.
12. Market Assessment: Assess the local market economy to identify marketable vocational skills for growth sectors.
13. Skills Gap Analysis: Analyze skills gaps in the labor force to enhance skills training and improve employability, particularly for women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
14. Quality Implementation Oversight: Oversee the quality implementation of TVET activities, including skills development, institutional strengthening, and gender and inclusion components.
15. Stakeholder Collaboration: Collaborate with partner organizations, government entities, and educational stakeholders to ensure cohesive delivery of TVET and effective capacity building.
16. Institutional Capacity Strengthening: Strengthen the institutional and human capacities of TVET institutions and other stakeholders.
17. Strategy Development: Create and implement strategies to strengthen TVET institutions, foster links with the private sector and service providers, and increase youth enrollment.
18. Programme Design: Design TVET programme interventions based on evidence to increase TVET institutions’ capacity to respond to private sector/service provider needs and climate change impacts.
19. Partnership Building: Build partnerships between TVET institutions and private sector firms/service providers in targeted sectors.
20. Gender and Youth Focus: Ensure activities are gender-sensitive/transformative, align with positive youth development, and emphasize participatory and youth-led approaches.
21. Stakeholder Relationship Management: Establish, cultivate, and maintain relationships with a diverse range of program stakeholders, including public sector entities, civil society organizations, donors, beneficiaries, and others.
22. Additional roles: Carry out any additional task assigned by the Director General of the TVET Directorate

V. Authority/ reporting line

The TVET specialist will report directly to the Director General of TVET Directorate at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education.

VI. Key Qualifications

• Advanced degree (master’s preferred) in Technical and Vocational Education, or a related field,
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in technical and vocational education strengthening, workforce development, youth development, and/or private sector engagement in Somalia or East Africa Region.
• Experience developing and implementing effective capacity strengthening models and approaches for organizations and individuals.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of the economic, educational, and youth contexts in Somalia with a deep network of relevant contacts across government, industry, and civil society.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships and collaborate with a variety of stakeholders including youth, government ministries and officials, NGOs, donors, the private sector, and community-based institutions.
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills including conflict resolution abilities.
• Excellent communication in both and English and Somali.