Labour Market Assessment (LMA) Consultant

Nature of the consultancy:

To Conduct a labour market analysis in targeted communities to map and conduct an analysis on stakeholders, available job platforms and employment services and industries that are suffering labour shortage, which serve as the basis for economic reintegration assistance.

Problem Statement:

Zimbabwe continues to face a myriad of problems stemming from a combination of socio-economic and environmental shocks which have been compounded by political instability which has resulted in high outbound migration to neighboring countries including South Africa in search of better opportunities. Zimbabwe has a long history of labour migration. Besides being a sender, and a transit country for labour migrants, Zimbabwe is also a receiver of migrant labour – especially from Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa. Unemployment has contributed to the increase in urban and international regular and irregular migration as unemployed young people migrate in search of decent employment and a better life. While both skilled and unskilled young people have migrated to neighboring South Africa and Botswana, many must bear the burdens of being used as cheap labor since the labor laws of those countries do not protect them because most of them are illegal immigrants.

Responding to the one of the biggest migration crises[1] in Southern Africa, the South African government launched the Dispensation of Zimbabwean Project in 2009 with the main objective of providing amnesty to undocumented Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa and regularize their stay. The permit dispensation was later renamed the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) allowed Zimbabwean migrants to live, work, study, and conduct business in SA. However, on 29 November 2021, a directive was issued by the South African Director General of the Department of Home Affairs stating that the permits granted to the Zimbabwean nationals was and has always been a temporary measure, pending improvement of the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe and that the permits were to expire.[2] The validity of the exemption was set to expire 31 of December 2023; the expiration date has then been moved up to 30 June 2024, as the SA Government is required to embark on a fair process, consulting with affected parties. However, the minister has repeatedly made his intention clear to the ZEP holders and the public that he will not reconsider the decision to terminate the ZEP-programme. The shift All that has changed is the grace period, which will not be extended further. Without durable solutions to temporary or permanent residency, it is estimated that 178,000 ZEP holders will be affected, the figures are likely to increase as many ZEP holders resettled in SA with their families.

Project Context and Scope:

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) with funding support from Korea International Cooperating Agency (KOICA) is implementing a 36 months project entitled “Supporting peaceful, safe, sustainable reintegration for returning migrants and host communities in Zimbabwe impacted by the non-renewal of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP)” whose primary objective is to Support the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) to provide sustainable reintegration support for returning migrants and their host communities for peaceful reintegration. Vulnerable and at-risk populations, including, but are not limited to, returning migrants and host communities affected by the termination of ZEP.

The project seeks to achieve the following three main outcomes:

Outcome 1: Strengthened preparedness to support returning migrants on institutional, community, and individual levels.

Outcome 2: Increased social stability, socio-economic opportunities, and psychosocial well-being for returning migrants and host communities.

Outcome 3: Protection services for returning migrants and host communities are improved and the Government of Zimbabwe and other stakeholders demonstrate increased capacity to assist migrants through strengthened referral systems.

As part of the evidence generation under Outcome 2 the project will conduct a labour market assessment to inform the socio-economic opportunities available to both host communities and migrants.

The market analysis will be done by interviewing government officials at national and local level, local businesses, and community members as well as analyzing it in the macro-economic context and considering the informal economy. The findings from the market labour analysis will inform the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) that will be provided in the project and align to the job market needs to stimulate economic growth and avoid teaching few and/or wrong skills in the provinces which could lead to labour supply saturation.
There is an increasing recognition that, to be successful, economic reintegration assistance interventions must be demand driven, i.e., in line with the needs of the (labour) market. Hence, there is growing demand for understanding market dynamics and employer needs, to align interventions accordingly.

The project seeks the services of a qualified expert to support the evidence generation to develop a skills-specific assessment on labour market needs for potential targeted districts. A labour assessment will be necessary as a baseline research activity to examine the constraints and potential capabilities for creating and expanding labour market opportunities through sustainable economic reintegration assistance.

This assessment shall also factor in gender considerations and conduct an analysis of women and youths’ access to the market and their preferences and demands through a youth and women focus group.

Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing Transition and Resilience Unit

The Labor Market Assessment main objective is to identify participants perceived needs, preferences around the availability of economic opportunities, engagement at household and communities in KOICA project areas of operation. It will specifically look at income generation opportunities available and skills required to access those opportunities. This will include an assessment of the sectors/ services/ industries where host communities are currently employed (paid and unpaid), in selecting IGAs. Participant profile (skill, willingness, and resources), profile (demand, income potential, input and support service availability, and socio-economic and cultural context) will be analyzed and matched with participants. Identified activities will be segregated based on the income earning potential for the adopter and growth potential for the specific activities. Further IOM may assist with technical and financial analysis to identify vocational skills and income generating activities/ sectors which the reintegration project would implement. The study will explore availability of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and how effective the institutions are responding to skills training and any opportunity for the reintegration project to inform curriculum update. The study will also establish the migration patterns and how they are impacting livelihood and financial returns to the community. The results will be used for refinement of the program design and serve to identify emerging employment trends, high-growth sectors for employment, labor shortages employment gaps, skills deficits, and entrepreneurial activities in Epworth, Goromonzi, Buhera, and Mberengwa districts. This will inform soft skills, entrepreneurial, technical and employability trainings, sector targeting for vocational training and internships for project participants especially young women and men including those living with disabilities among the host communities and the returnees. This study will look at barriers to full participation of young women and men especially those living with disabilities in economic activities. The results will be used to design interventions to increase economic inclusion, leadership in community decision making processes and recommend policies and procedure that can strengthen the enabling environment and increase inclusiveness of key function of labor market.

Expected Outputs

The situational labour market assessment will include the following:

• Economic context and analysis: Analyze the patterns of labour markets in the targeted areas of Goromonzi, Epworth, Buhera and Mberengwa.
• Which sectors currently absorb labour within targeted districts of destination, and which are likely to see increases in employment in the future, and the income levels per sector and job type/level?
• Demand for specific skills: Within targeted districts what are the skill sets required by function in the value chain, currently and in the future? Determine which trades have significant local labour market demand? Which sectors have shortages?
• Supply of specific skills: What occupations, education levels, and skills levels are possessed by the workforce (disaggregated by gender, age), and what types of training are offered by which institutions in the targeted areas.?
• Systems, stakeholders: What are the institutional relationships, barriers, and opportunities for supporting employment including identifying opportunities for developing partnerships and linkages with NGOs, community-based organizations (CBOs) and state and private employers and local enterprises in targeted communities.
• Identify occupations that accept female employees and those with disabilities or special needs; what types of jobs women and vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, can perform in various sectors, taking into consideration potential cultural or physical constraints.
• Stakeholder mapping – to identify and map stakeholders active in the labour market, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations and private sector entities and assess the roles and responsibilities of these entities in addressing labour market challenges and facilitating employment opportunities.
• Conduct a job-platform analysis (both online and offline) to determine the channels used for job search, placement, and employment.
• Evaluate their accessibility and effectiveness in connecting potential job seekers with employers.
• Identify prevailing gaps and limitations in existing job platforms and recommend alternatives solutions for improvement.
• Conduct an employment services assessment – to assess the availability and quality of employment services such as job counselling, vocational training and skills development programmes and entrepreneurship support.
  • identify the strengths and weaknesses of these services and proffer some recommendations and solutions to enhance their effectiveness.
  • Analyze the utilization and accessibility of such services by various target groups with a focus on the most vulnerable groups.
• Labour shortage analysis – identify industries or sectors that are experiencing labour shortages and analyze underlying factors contributing to such.
  • assess the potential for economic re-integration assistance in industries and sectors that hold the capacity to absorb surplus labour from other sectors (including emerging sectors and future job opportunities).
• Reporting and recommendations – summarize the findings of the labour market assessment in a comprehensive report including an executive summary.
• Proffer actionable recommendations – based on the LMA to address labour market challenges and promote economic reintegration.
• Present findings and recommendations – to all relevant stakeholders in a clear and concise manner and solicit feedback

The detailed Assessment objectives are:

1. Employment trends: Provide a summary of the employment situation, an analysis of the structural and/or other factors influencing unemployment and employment. Socio- economic and unemployment/employment information of women.
2. Shortages and surplus trends in main economic sectors: Employers’ catalogue and need (specifying both skilled and unskilled needs) in targeted districts, the competencies, and skills of the available labour for the job respectively, Income levels for the new and existing employment/job opportunities
3. Labour market deficits and surplus analysis: Showcase the technical and transferable skills that potential migrants need to successfully pursue existing or anticipated labour opportunities in the local market. iii) New and potential growth sectors that can be supported and developed. (iii) Assess skills and competences, demand, and supply in the labour market and identify the system that can capture the skills development from emerging market trends (TVET, school curriculum or community trainings)
4. Migration Trends: Assess the migration patterns and how migration is impacting livelihoods and financial returns to the community.

Methodology
The winning individual consultant is expected to conduct the labour market assessment and analysis by working closely with the project team of IOM. To meet the objectives of this assignment, the winning service provider must apply the following:

• Desk review for the relevant secondary data sources;
• Interviews and meetings with relevant stakeholders with a focus on the private sectors, local authorities, as well as concerned municipalities, cooperatives, relevant Ministries and institutions (e.g. Ministries of Public Service, Industry and Commerce, Women Affairs, Agriculture, Interior, TVET and VTC etc.), NGOs and CBOs, relevant UN agencies etc.
• Field visits to observe community environment to assess the needs on microbusinesses, and conduct feasibility assessment on the potential microbusiness ideas relevant to the covered sectoral skills.
• Market observations and interviews of existing local businesses.

Deliverables and Payment Schedule

• Research framework to conduct the assignment within the timeframe, based on the main demographic, social, and economic characteristics of Buhera, the four project implementation sites. It should include the key questions to be asked.
• First instalment payment (25% of overall contract value) First week after Signing
• Report on the current situation of the labour market and existing micro-businesses in four project implementation sites, including trends, challenges and opportunities for sustainable employment and self-employment opportunities; sectors and sub-sectors pre-identified by IOM and identity the ones with high potentials for employment opportunities, and the skills for demanded for each sector. The skills should include both soft-skills and hands-on skills, and the levels of these skills.
• Third week after Signing (25% of overall contract value)
• Report on types of microbusinesses that can be developed by using skills that are required for sectors and sub-sectors pre-identified.

It is important to identify pre-conditions for sustainable microbusinesses based on the community and local market needs.

• private sector’s current engagement and future needs and investment; Conduct a quick feasibility assessment and value chain analysis of key types of business.
• Final report incorporating IOM comment highlighting recommendations and how best to equip the participants with the necessary skills through vocational training for the duration of four months.
• Fourth Week and Final instalment payment (50% of overall contract value)

Final Deliverables

• Consultant’s report outlining findings of the assessment based on the abovementioned objectives of the assignment.

Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

The consultancy will be evaluated against the following indicators, for which targets will be discussed with IOM:

• Quality of the analysis provided by the consultant.
• Quality of questionnaire developed for the key informant’s interview.
• Number and relevance of the key informant’s interview

Education, Experience and/or skills required

Education:

Master’s degree in economics, Political Science, International Relations, Migration, Development, Social Sciences, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with at least seven years of relevant professional experience.

Experience and skills:

• Proven experience in analysis, consulting and/or market research
• Strong knowledge of the local economic and political context, ability to independently identify and connect with relevant stakeholders.
• Strong writing and analytical skills, ability to produce clear and well-written reports.

Travel required

• Local / in-country field travel will be required in targeted areas of Goromonzi, Epworth, Buhera and Mberengwa.

Competencies

Values

• Inclusion and respect for diversity respects and promotes individual and cultural differences; encourages diversity and inclusion wherever possible.
• Integrity and transparency: maintain high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent, and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators

• Teamwork: develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner; is action-oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge, and innovate.
• Accountability: takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own action and delegated work.
• Communication: encourages and contributes to clear and open communication; explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring, and motivational way.

[1] Betts, A. (2013). Front Matter. In Survival Migration: Failed Governance and the Crisis of Displacement. Available at: https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/255/oa_monograph/chapter/1707885/pdf

[2] PRESS STATEMENT: ZIMBABWEAN NATIONALS GRANTED EXEMPTION IN TERMS OF SECTION 31(2) (B) OF THE IMMIGRATION ACT- FRIDAY 02 SEPTEMBER 2022. Available at: http://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/immigration-services/gazetted-extension-of-zep