81313831-Improving skills for employment in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) commissioned the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to implement the project "Employment Prospects for Socio-economic Integration of Refugees, IDPs and Host Communities in Iraq" (EPSI). In collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) the project aims to improve the employment situation of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs, including returned IDPs) and people from host communities.

EPSI seeks to commission external expertise to contribute to the achievement of output 2 of the project: "The labour market skills of refugees, IDPs and vulnerable people in the host communities have improved."

Within output 2 of the project, the quality of technical vocational education and training (TVET) shall be enhanced by improving the existing curricula for education and training at vocational training centres (VTCs, usually run by MoLSA) and by the upskilling of teachers. As a result, skills relevant to the labour market can be promoted more effectively, which has a positive effect on employment. At the same time, internships can facilitate the transition and entry into the primary labour market. Measures under output 2 include ToTs for vocational trainers, the design and implementation of training courses on job-specific skills as well as further foundational skills such as digital literacy, language skills or soft skills. Job seekers (especially newcomers to the labour market) are then supported in finding and being placed into internships.

Moreover, the government is keen to see a dual vocational model rolled out in KRI. In fact, the approach has been integrated into the national TVET strategy with a specific focus on its implementation in KRI. However, it has not been implemented yet which is why under EPSI"s output 2 the government shall be supported to pilot a dual/ cooperative model. In all measures of output 2 the different realities of job-seeking IDPs, refugees and returnees, especially women and people with disabilities are taken into account. Last but not least, the acquisition of professional skills relevant to environmental protection and climate action is prioritised in the output.

The assignment consists of four work packages (WP) that the contractor shall be responsible for and which will be implemented only in KRI: WP1: Enhancing the Managerial and Teaching Capacities of the Directorate of Training of Trainers Academy Kurdistan Region and VTCs, with a main focus on newly established VTCs in KRI

WP 1 focusses on the enhancement of institutional and individual capacities of local TVET providers, primarily the Directorate of Training of Trainers Academy Kurdistan Region (DoToT) in Erbil, as well as the relevant Directorate of Labour and Social Affairs (DoLSA) departments (respective local or regional governmental entities under the MoLSA). The contractor shall strengthen managerial capacities (including but not limited to clarifying roles and responsibilities, optimizing task distribution, establishing transparent decision-making processes, resource planning, budget monitoring, procurement, maintenance, the organisation and scheduling of TVET courses and participant management). Additionally, the contractor shall build the trainers' capacity to develop and deliver competency-based training (CBT) curricula/ programs. WP2: Design and implement short-term vocational training programs The aim of this WP is to increase employment opportunities for the target groups through organising vocational training programs that are geared towards labour market needs and that utilize the competency-based training (CBT) approach. Going one step further, the contractor shall organise job matching activities that connect job vacancies with vocational training graduates. WP3: Placing vocational training participants into internships with employers The objective of this WP is to facilitate the transition of 100 vocational training graduates from WP 2 to the local labour market through internships of minimum two months. These internships shall be accompanied by support sessions, e.g., on job application. WP4: Design and execute a pilot of the Dual Vocational Training Scheme in KRI WP 4 and aims at piloting a dual vocational approach in KRI. Dual vocational training here means an intertwined combination of theoretical instruction at VTC facilities (if available) and practical experience in real workplace settings of local businesses. This model requires partnerships between VTCs, private sector companies, and sometimes governmental agencies. The piloting of the approach will need the onboarding and buy-in of several stakeholders. Ownership by local actors shall be generated by the contractor through involvement of respective stakeholders from the beginning. The contractor shall make sure that stakeholders are prepared to take over the scheme if successful. For the implementation of these work packages, the tenderer is required to provide 3 key experts, one international expert pool as well as one national expert pool.