National Expert: Public Private Sectoral Dialogue (PPSD) Capacity Assessment of the Construction Sector

sequa gGmbH is a globally operating non-profit development organisation. Since 1991 sequa has carried out programmes and projects of international cooperation in close collaboration with the German private sector. sequa offers know-how and long-term experience in capacity development for chambers and associations (BMOs), vocational education and training, private sector development and trade promotion. The organisation is based in Bonn, Germany. sequa employs more than 100 persons (2022) and reported a turnover of EUR 58 m in 2021.

 We are offering a project-based assignment as 

The Project

The Ethio-German Sustainable Training and Education Programme (STEP) implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) improves the employment prospects of young Ethiopians by promoting more quality and relevance in vocational training and higher education. The programme establishes strong linkages between the education sector and the labour market in order to support the development of a modern education system geared towards employment and economic growth. STEP contributes to selected industrial sectors by preparing skilled workforce who can drive Ethiopia’s economic transformation. 

STEP III is a follow-up phase of STEP I and II, 2015 – 2021 and builds on its achievements in establishing effective systems to improve quality of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and University of Applied Science (UAS) and to enhance the involvement of private sector in TVET as well as UAS. The project addresses capacity development in the institutional set-up established during the first project’s phase to empower TVET and UAS in Ethiopia to fulfil their mandate and create tangible employment opportunities for their trainees and graduates.

sequa has been commissioned by GIZ to promote private sector engagement in skills development by establishing exchange and implementation forums for private and public sector TVET stakeholders with the objective to improve coordination and build up capacities and competences for training delivery and assessment. All activities of sequa will be in line with the goals of STEP III. Expected Results are

• Establishment and institutionalization of a national forum on skills development that shapes a national debate on demand-oriented skills trainings as well as the underlying TVET and UAS system. This also includes drawing-up of a strategy of how to sustainably engage the private sector in to TVET and UAS.
• Establishment and institutionalization of sectoral skills training forums on national level that enable sector relevant forums on demand-oriented skills trainings; regional formats such as committees could be optional.
• Implementation of capacity development measures for companies and business membership organizations (BMO’s) to enhance their meaningful engagement in TVET and UAS.

Your Tasks / Responsibilities 

Major objective of the assignment is to assess the capacity of the Construction Contractors Association of Ethiopia (CCAE) to undertake a skills focused public private sectoral dialogue and identify related critical issues or agendas that serve as input for the dialogue.

•  Assess organizational or institutional capacity of the Association.
• Review previous public private sectoral dialogue (PPSD) experience of the Association, if any, aimed to draw lessons and identify input for its sustainability.
• Collect necessary information from members of the Association and relevant government offices on challenges (especially skills and labour and related) facing the association or its members. 
• Assist in listing the major challenges (focused on skills but not limited) facing members of the association that serve as input to the first forum.
• Identify capacity needs of the Association to organize and sustain sector skill focused public private dialogue forums. 
• Assist in the development of PPSD coordination mechanisms for their engagement in skill development issues. 
• Provide facilitation support during the first PPSD forum or workshop.   
• Support in development of structure or mechanism for PPSD forums. 

Assignment Period:  December 15, 2022, till February 28, 2023

Working time scope: Up to 15 working days

Project:  Promotion of Private Sector Engagement in Skills Development (GIZ-STEP III)

Your Qualification / Skills    

• Professional qualification in the fields of economics, management, related social science fields construction management, civil engineering, and related fields 
• Knowledge of Ethiopian labour and skills system and understanding of related private sector involvement.
• Good communication skills and professional written and oral skill of English and Amharic language.
• Ability to work in a team.

Your Working Experience

• Prior experience in undertaking related assessment studies as well as in identifying and setting agenda for a PPSD platforms
• Good understanding of the Ethiopian construction sector and/or experience of working in similar areas is an advantage
• Added skills: previous experience with GIZ/sequa and the Construction Association