International Consultant(s) – Development of Quality Apprenticeship Tool Kit for Malaysia’s Construction Sector

Skills for Prosperity in South East Asia Programme (SfP-SEA) – Malaysia

Terms of Reference (TOR) for International Consultant(s) – Development of Quality Apprenticeship Tool Kit for Malaysia’s Construction Sector

Duty Station:                        Home-based/on-line.

Languages Required:         English.

Duration of contract:         11 days  (the assignment will tentatively commence on 11 September 2023 and ends on 22 September 2023).

1. Background

The Skills for Prosperity in South-East Asia Programme (SfP-SEA) aims to contribute to increasing national capacity to achieve sustained and inclusive growth through the enhancement of skills development and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) systems in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

To achieve this objective, the programme works with government agencies, employers’ organisations, trade unions, TVET and skills institutions and other partners in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines to facilitate review and reform of the countries’ skills development and TVET system strategies and policies. In the region, the SfP-SEA provides opportunities for mutual learning among the three countries and the other ASEAN nations, and beyond—not only showcasing the results of the pilots and lessons learned from the programme but also facilitating the sharing of best practices in the region and other parts of the world.

In Malaysia, the Skills for Prosperity Programme in Malaysia (SfP-Malaysia) focuses on increasing skills development and TVET systems’ readiness to meet the skills needs of the future of work and those of vulnerable groups, through enhancing four areas of the TVET system and delivery:[1]

• Equity:  Inclusiveness in skills development and TVET systems
• Quality: Future-ready & coordinated skills development and TVET systems
• Relevance: Demand-driven skills and TVET/skills recognition
• Cost-Effectiveness: Improved skills/TVET financing models

Under the Relevance pillar, the SfP-Malaysia has conducted pilot quality apprenticeship programme in the construction sector, in cooperation with a partnering sectoral employer’s organisation. The programme will synthesise and disseminate the results of pilot quality apprenticeship programme, in order to enhance industry-led TVET modality in Malaysia.

II. Objective

In order to disseminate the results of pilot quality apprenticeship programme, the SfP-Malaysia seeks an international consultant(s) with expertise in developing a toolkit or manual to promote quality apprenticeship took kit. The objectives of this assignment are to:

• Promote key elements of quality apprenticeship, considering economic, social and institutional contexts of Malaysia.[2]
• Provide practical measures to design, implement and monitor quality apprenticeship, based on international preceding examples.

III. Scope of Work

Under the supervision of Chief Technical Advisor and with guidance from Senior Project Officers, and specialists of the ILO, and in cooperation with national consultants hired separately, the main responsibility of the consultant(s) are to:

1. Provide international perspectives in finalising the quality apprenticeship tool kit for the construction sector in Malaysia.
2. Provide international perspectives in disseminating the tool kit in the construction and other sectors.

IV. Output

Under the supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor and with guidance from Senior Programme Officers, regional specialists of the ILO,  the international consultants(s) are required to produce the following outputs:

1. Draft the work plan for all tasks, which includes  a timeline and persons in charge of each activity.
2. Submit the work plan to the ILO.

1. Review the draft tool kit for quality apprenticeship in the construction sector  which ILO’s partnering employers’ organisation as an implementing partner has been developing through on-line meeting with them as needed.
2. Draft the written input based on international experience in implementing quality apprenticeship and submit it to the ILO and its national implementing partner.
3. Present key points of the written input through an on-line meeting in which the ILO, its national implementing partners will participate.

V. Indicative Timeline

The estimated number of workdays for this consultancy is 10 days spreading over from 11 to 22 September 2023. The starting date and workdays will be finalized after completion of the hiring process.

Below are the targets dates to produce outputs:

Output Deliverable

Output 1 – Work plan developed - 1. Work Plan; No. of Work Days 1; Start Date 11-Sep-23; End Date 12-Sep-23

Output 2 – International perspectives provided for the draft tool kit for quality apprenticeship in the construction sector.

1. Cover report
2. Draft tool kit with written input.

No. of Work Days 9

Start Date 12-Sep-23

End Date 22-Sep-23

Total Workdays - 10

VI. Required Qualifications

The assignment should be carried out by the consultant(s) who should have team members with the following expertise/qualifications:

Education: Advanced university degree, desirably doctoral degree, in economics, social sciences, public administration or statistics, with expertise in the field of industrial development, labour market analysis, and TVET/skills development. 

Experience:

• A minimum of ten years of experience in working on industrial development and/or skills development and TVET.
• Experience in:
  • Designing and implementing apprenticeship programmes in in Asian or developed countries.
  • Producing high-quality reports or manual in English.
  • Providing high-level policy advice and technical input in the field of TVET/skills development, in particular apprenticeship.
  • Working with:
    • Government agencies responsible for TVET/skills training.
    • Employers’ and workers’ organisations.
    • International organisations.

Knowledge/Skills:

• Excellent understanding of situations of industrial development and TVET/skills formation in Asia and/or developed countries.
• Excellent understanding of situations of apprenticeship or work-based learning in Asia and/or developed countries.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills in English.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to engage with national stakeholders.

Languages: Excellent command of English.

VII. Submission of Proposals

Interested consultant(s) must submit the following documents/ information to demonstrate their institutional capacity and the qualifications of team members.

• Curriculum Vitae of team members
• Technical proposal describing: (i) how consultant(s) will approach and conduct the listed tasks and deliver outputs; (ii) work plan; and (iii) internal quality assurance mechanism (10 pages maximum).
• One writing sample relevant to this assignment,  such as a research report or manual.
• Estimated budget (financial proposal), i.e., professional fees (daily rate and expected number of working days) and additional expenses for completing the work.

The interested consultant(s) are requested to electronically submit the following two documents separately to the following address:

1. Technical proposal to: jmori@ilo.org and mohdbadrin@ilo.org  
2. Financial proposal to: nurhalimatun@iloguest.org 

The deadline of submission is 4 September 2023 by 23:59 MYT. The short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview.

VIII. Contract Duration

The contract will tentatively commence on 11 September 2023 and ends on 22 September 2023.

1. Indicative Payment Terms

Indicative payment terms will be as follows: 

• 1st payment (20%): Upon the delivery and acceptance of Output 1.
• 2nd payment (80%): Upon the delivery and acceptance of Output 2.

List of Annexes

• Terms and Conditions applicable to ILO Contracts.