Activity Completion Report #2 for the Labor Needs Assessment and Partner Identification (F.4 Deliverable 1)

The consultancy, undertaken by Remark Consultancy Firm, was conducted in the North, Beqaa, and Southern regions of Lebanon from September 10, 2019, to December 2019. The main goal of the consultancy was to identify upgrades of current TVET training courses and curricula, and subsequent upgrades to TVET infrastructure and equipment, as well as upgrades of human resources systems at private sector/SMEs. The study consolidated quantitative and qualitative data on labor market dynamics and specific private sector employment opportunities with MSMEs and private TVET centers. The consultancy was designed into three phases: Phase 1, which involved consolidating and reviewing labor market assessment/workforce research; Phase 2, which consisted of targeted labor market field research; and Phase 3, which involved partner profiling with curricula and TVET upgrade strategy. The first phase of the consultancy involved initial desk research and a scoping mission, which helped map private TVETs in Lebanon, provided a better understanding of opportunities for job creation, and fine-tuned the research methodology for the subsequent phases of the assessment. The second phase consisted of field research, including key informant interviews with TVETs, small-to-medium enterprises, and other key stakeholders, a quantitative survey, and six focus group discussions. In the final phase, an analysis of the findings was done to provide recommendations on key sectors or occupations of focus, partnerships to engage, and sectoral employment models. The consultancy identified ten private TVETs and twenty-one private sector firms/SMEs, and validated skills in demand by the job market, including both private and public employers, and employer perceptions of skills. The study also mapped the landscape of private TVETs to assess the range and quality of training programs that are being offered, including infrastructure/asset availability. The outputs of the consultancy included the identification of three promising employment sectors, home-based healthcare, IT, and repair and maintenance of industrial machines, and the validation of skills in demand by the job market. The outcomes of the consultancy included acquiring a full perception of market trends, supply, demand, growth projections/tendencies, and employability skills needed, and the development of skills training courses that are relevant, context-specific, and able to effectively leverage existing local educational infrastructure and assets. The consultancy also contributed to the credibility of TVET education and training institutes and secured employment opportunities for vulnerable youth from underserved areas in the North, South, and Beqaa.