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Tenders are invited for Development of Operational Procedures for Career Counseling and Training Materials. Closing Date: 28 Nov 2024 Background: The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is committed to enhancing its vocational education offerings in high schools, particularly in response to the growing demand for skilled professionals in various industries. To support this effort, the National Department of Education (NDOE) is implementing the Skills and Employability Enhancement (SEE) Project, which focuses on developing occupational profiles, curricula, and apprenticeship programs aligned with industry needs. The project also seeks to build the capacity of educators, strengthen school-industry partnerships, and equip students with market-relevant skills to enhance their employability. Specifically, the SEE Project consists of the following three main components: Component 1: Improving equitable access to vocational education and training. The objective of this component is to ensure TVET access to all eligible youth, especially the poor and vulnerable youth, women, persons with disabilities, and geographically disadvantaged groups such as students or trainees from outer islands. The component aims to achieve this by expanding the availability of quality skills training while providing information, incentives, and support to increase participation of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups in TVET. Component 2: Improving the relevance and quality of TVET. The objective of this component is to enhance the relevance and quality of training offered by TVET institutions by upgrading the training curricula and its standards; improving the quality of trainers; and making provisions for independent testing and certification of skills. Component 3: Improving labor market information and employment services. This component aims to establish capacity within the Government to provide labor market information and employment support services with a view to improve labor market outcomes among potential workersincluding TVET graduatesin FSM. To this end, the activity will support schools and relevant Government units, and the SDOEs, in their efforts to match jobseekers with appropriate vacancies through comprehensive job search assistance. One of the primary challenges is that counselors are often assigned additional tasks beyond their core responsibilities, hindering their ability to focus on addressing students needs. Many counselors are better equipped to handle disciplinary matters rather than provide comprehensive career guidance, which should be their main focus. Moreover, there is a lack of clarity regarding the role of career counselors in supporting the implementation of on-the-job training or apprenticeship programs, and the number of counselors is often insufficient, with some handling entire grade levels alone. As states invest in employment counseling for graduates, the NDOE seeks to enhance local career counseling program design by incorporating successful global models which highlight the importance of personalized guidance, strong industry partnerships, and access to accurate labor market data. Key elements of an effective career counseling program include integrating soft skills and core competencies, promoting lifelong learning, and addressing barriers such as mental health issues. Additionally, emphasizing work-based learning and rigorously tracking outcomes can significantly contribute to the long-term career success of vocational education program graduates. To address these challenges and enhance the effectiveness of career counseling services, the NDOE aims to review current practices in each state, develop unified operational procedures, and provide targeted training to state-level career counselors and school personnel. 2. Objective To address these systemic issues, the NDOE aims to conduct a thorough review of current practices, develop unified operational procedures for career counseling, and provide specialized training for counselors at the state level. These efforts are designed to improve the effectiveness of career guidance and ensure that counselors are better equipped to support students in both academic and career planning. Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4109547/development-operational-procedures-career-counseling-and-training-materials
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