Namibia Community Skills Development Foundation (COSDEF) TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONDUCTING GRADUATE AND EMPLOYMENT TRACER STUDY FOR COSDEC GRADUATES

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1 Namibia Community Skills Development Foundation (COSDEF) TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONDUCTING GRADUATE AND EMPLOYMENT TRACER STUDY FOR COSDEC GRADUATES

2 1. Background The Namibia Community Skills Development Foundation (COSDEF) is the national umbrella body coordinating the activities of a network of 8 Community Skills Development Centers (COSDECs) located in the towns of Luderitz, Gobabis, Otjiwarongo, Swakopmund, Tsumeb, Ondangwa, Opuwo and Rundu, as well as the COSDEF Arts and Crafts center located in Swakopmund. The foundation is registered as a trust in the high court of Namibia, with a board of trustees under the chairmanship of Honourable Nahas Angula, and four other trustees. Policy development, operational planning, coordination, implementation, as well as financial administration and management are serviced by the COSDEF Support Unit office, functioning as the organization s secretariat, based in Swakopmund. The COSDECs offer skills training courses at the equivalence of exit level 2 (including level 1) of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in a range of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) occupational areas, based on the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) TVET national curriculum. The COSDECs also offer short, local community and outreach courses intended to address identified local community, socio-economic needs, as identified in annual training needs assessments. They are also able to offer tailor-made industry specific short courses to service the needs of people in employment, or specific technical skills gaps as required by local employers, local economic opportunities. The primary target beneficiaries of COSDEC national courses are primarily out-of-school youth unable to access mainstream vocational education and training due to limited places at vocational training centers across the country, and lower level school leaving credentials. The three pronged exit targets for this group are either to access entry level employment opportunities in the labour market; self-employment opportunities through micro business support services offered by the COSDECs business development support centers; and articulation opportunities into further education and skills training opportunities in mainstream TVET and other education institutions. COSDEF is currently at an advanced stage of securing the registration and accreditation of COSDECs and the national courses they offer with the NTA and NQA, respectively to ensure regulatory compliance, and quality assure training outcomes and nationally recognized awarding arrangements. The short, local community and outreach courses are targeted at skilling local and rural communities in skills intended to enable them to derive improved livelihood through value addition opportunities to locally available resources and economic opportunities. Terms of Reference for the COSDEC Graduate Tracer Study_2015 Page 2

3 Overview of COSDECs Training Courses and Programs The 8 COSDECs offer skills training courses at the equivalence of exit level 2 (including level 1) of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in a range of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) occupational areas, based on the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) TVET national curriculum. These courses are intended to lead to exit and awarding at the equivalence of Level 2 (including Level 1) unit standards, qualifications and part qualifications on the NQF in the following TVET occupational areas: Bricklaying and plastering Clothing production Food preparation and serving Joinery and cabinet making Hairdressing Plumbing and pipefitting Office administration and computing Welding and metal fabrication Information Communication and Technology (ICT) 2. Purpose and Scope of work The foundation seeks to engage a Namibian registered research firm to carry out a graduate tracer study of the 2011, 2012 and 2013 COSDEC graduates from all the 8 COSDECs and the Swakopmund Arts and Crafts center. This study, mainly based on field survey, aims to trace randomly selected COSDEC and Arts and Crafts center graduates in all occupational and trade areas offered across these centers from the years 2011, 2012, and The focus of the survey will primarily be to: Assess the relevance and effectiveness of COSDEC courses in relation to graduates attaining either one of the three exit targets of; access to entry level employment opportunities in the labour market; self-employment opportunities; and articulation with further education and skills training opportunities in mainstream TVET and other educational and training institutions The impact of COSDEC courses in improving the livelihood and income earning capacity of the graduates Community and employer perception of the employability and community involvement of COSDEC graduates The consultancy is expected to develop effective tracer and survey instruments to produce key outcome indicators around the three exit targets of COSDEC graduates, and use universally relevant research methodologies and statistical analysis instruments to collate data, analyse findings and produce both a center specific report for each of the 9 centers, as well as a national report summarising the overall findings across all the 9 centers. The consultancy is further expected to summarise the study in a colour booklet, detailing the methodology, locations, key processes, relevant survey data analysis instruments and analysed findings, as well as reproduce the same in CD rom format for distribution to centers and relevant stakeholders. Terms of Reference for the COSDEC Graduate Tracer Study_2015 Page 3

4 The consultancy will report directly to, and liaise with the COSDEF Training and Curriculum Development Manager, at the COSDEF Support Unit office in Swakopmund, at all stages of the study. All funds disbursements will be upon invoicing and based on satisfactory completion of study deliverables and recommendation by the COSDEF Training and Curriculum Development Manager, with approval by the COSDEF Support Unit Executive Director. The consultancy is further required to include the 10 COSDEC Training and Business Support Coordinators employed across the COSDECs in all aspects of the study, from the development of study instruments, field testing, actual survey, data capturing, analysis of findings and final reporting to facilitate skills transfer and capacity development. 3. Suggested General Approach to the Study The required composition of the sample size should represent not less than 35% of the overall cohort trainees intakes of 6125 trainees for the three years and is to be proportionately randomly selected to represent all the geographical and development regions where the COSDECs are located, as well as gender disaggregation. Mixed methods of both quantitative and qualitative approaches of the study will be employed, involving use of key informants interview, review of literature, focus group discussion and indepth analysis of success cases. The consultancy will employ methodology to supervise the data collection in the catchment areas of the COSDECs. Information regarding the post-graduation status of the sampled graduates will be collected using semi-structured questionnaires. Besides, information regarding the efficiency level of the graduates and the actual expectation of employers will also be gleaned from the respective employers of the employed graduates by approved rating scale type of questionnaire. 4. Experience and qualification of key consulting staff The consulting firm must have at least 5 years experience in conducting similar national level research preferably, for TVET or higher education training institutions. The consultancy should also have the capacity to mobilize a team of relevant experts and enumerators meeting the below stated qualifications and professional requirements and evidence of high level analytical, qualitative and quantitative research ability. The expert team to be involved in the study should be composed as follows: Team Leader Minimum of a master s degree in the disciplines of Development Studies, Statistics, Natural Science, and Social Sciences. A doctoral degree in any one of the above disciplines would be an added advantage for the team leader, as well as a proven track record in leading research projects for educational institutions or purposes, and/or lecturing in disciplines involving research, development, monitoring and evaluation. Experience in project cycle management is also preferred. Enumerators Grade 12 or relevant school leaving certificate, a first level college, technikon or university diploma in any discipline related to education and training, statistics, commerce, engineering. Previous experience as enumerator for social science, demographic, or similar surveys, as well as user level skills in Microsoft office suites. The external enumerators will be paired with the COSDEC Training and Business Development Coordinators to undertake all aspects of the survey, including field survey data capturing, and participation in data analysis at the end of the study. Terms of Reference for the COSDEC Graduate Tracer Study_2015 Page 4

5 Data Capturers The consultancy will be required to recruit COSDEC Mahetago, Swakopmund Office Administration graduates, at a reasonable fee for the data capturing and typing of reports and booklets. 5. Responsibility of the consulting firm The major responsibility of the consulting firm will be as follows: Review sufficient relevant reliable literature related to the background and activities of COSDEF and the COSDECs; Prepare a detailed inception report of the study with the valid and reliable study design and methodology; Develop data and information collection tools both for collecting qualitative and quantitative information; Collect primary data and information from determined sample size as well as gather relevant information from secondary sources; Conduct personal interview and focus group discussions with key informants and other stakeholders for qualitative information; Develop data entry formats in statistical packages; Enter, process, clean and analyse the entered data; Prepare draft report with initial findings to present to COSDEF management; Refine the draft report as per the feedback from COSDEF management; Submit final report in CD Rom and at least 1000 colour booklets to COSDEF management. 6. Expected outputs and deliverables Output 1: Inception report prepared with detailed explanation of study methodology, including survey design, sampling methods, tracing strategies, final time schedule, data entry, arrangements for supervision and validation of data collected and report writing. Output 2: Design and finalisation of information collection tools for the study; Output 3: Roll out and data collection strategy; Output 4: Data analysis and drafting of report; Output 5: Presentation of study report; Output 6: Reproduction of study and final report in CD Rom and 1000 colour booklet format Terms of Reference for the COSDEC Graduate Tracer Study_2015 Page 5

6 7. Timeline and progress schedule of deliverables The consultancy is expected to complete the study within a six weeks period from approval of inception report, which is the period stretching from 01 June to 10 July. No extension of the contract period will be granted, with resultant retention of funds, for any deliverables not met. Timeline Deliverable Week 1 Output 1: Inception report with detailed explanation of study methodology, including survey design, sampling methods, tracing strategies, final time schedule, data entry, arrangements for supervision and validation of data collected and report writing 20% Output 2: Design and finalisation of information collection tools for the study 20% Week 2 Week 3 Output 3: Roll out and data collection strategy 30% Week 4 Output 4: Data analysis and drafting of report 10% Week 5 Output 5: Presentation of study report 5% Funds Disbursement Week 6 Output 6: Reproduction of study and final report in CD Rom and 1000 colour booklet format 15% 8. Monitoring and supervision The consultancy will report directly to, and liaise with the COSDEF Training and Curriculum Development Manager, at the COSDEF Support Unit office in Swakopmund, at all stages of the study. In addition, the Team Leader will be responsible for coordinating all study activities and managing teams of experts and enumerators, as well as payment of allowances and fees for experts engaged by the consultancy. 9. Local services, personnel and facilities to be provided by client COSDEF will provide any logistical and administrative support as may be required, or agreed with the consultancy as may be amended by in these Terms of Reference. All bids from prospective consulting firms to be submitted on or before the closing day on 08 May 2015 in a sealed envelope to the attention of: Mr Nicolas Limbo Manager: Training and Curriculum Development Namibia Community Skills Development Foundation (COSDEF) Support Unit PO Box 4230 Hand Delivered at: 14 Windhuker Street Swakopmund Terms of Reference for the COSDEC Graduate Tracer Study_2015 Page 6