Every year nearly 6 lakh young people join Government run skilling institutions with  the hope that the skills and knowledge they acquire there would aid their transition  to the world of work. For the last few years, the utilization of available seats at  Government ITIs has ranged from 53% to 57%. Low capacity utilization is indicative of  a complex problem where vocational and technical education is seen as less  aspirational by learners, parents and even employers. Many young people who do  graduate from ITIs struggle to find the right opportunity to kickstart their career  journeys because of the quality of training received or the lack of adequate industry  exposure.  

In 2020, Future Right Skills Network (of which Quest Alliance is a founding member)  published a report called “Pathways to Work: Mapping Education, Skills and  Employability to Labour Market Demands” which focused on studying the mismatch  between the training provided and the needs of the industry for a skilled workforce.  Focusing on Gujarat the research study centered on what ITIs could do to bridge the  gap between curriculum/ training and the industry expectations.  

Quest Alliance now intends to commission a research study that further examines  the prevailing perceptions about skilling programs amongst industry and map the  state of linkages that exist between Government run skilling institutions and industry.  The purpose of this study is to identify potential pathways that can ensure skilling  programs are better attuned to the requirements of the industry, while also shedding  light on existing barriers that prevent more successful collaborations between skilling  institutions and industry and sector councils.2 

This scope of work outlines the necessary tasks and deliverables for conducting a  landscape study aimed towards exploring and detailing out the role industry and  employers can play in making ITI training more demand driven and suited to the expectations and needs of the market and future of work along with models that  have worked and best practices that can guide similar work in 4 Indians states of  Gujarat, Delhi-Haryana and Tamil Nadu.  

A. Objectives:

1. Identify Successful Vocational Training Models:
   ○ Examine global and Indian examples of successful vocational training  models/ partnerships driven by industry engagement and analyze the  ownership, financing, and skill training contributions by industries in  these models. 
   
   
2. Assess Current ITI-Industry Collaboration:
   ○ Understand the current level of engagement between ITIs and industries  in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Delhi and identify the strengths and  weaknesses of existing collaboration models. 
   
   
3. Document Best Practices and Models:
   ○ Highlight best practices and successful models of industry involvement  in vocational training and provide case studies of effective industry-ITI  partnerships in India.
   
   
4. Propose Strategies for Enhanced Industry Engagement:
   ○ Recommend strategies for making ITI training more demand-driven and  aligned with market needs and suggest innovative approaches for  industry participation in curriculum development, training delivery, and  student mentorship. 
   
   
5. Outline Governance and Incentive Structures:
   ○ Map the efficacy of the current incentives that the state government’s  industrial policies provide employers to offer OJT/ apprenticeship  opportunities to ITI graduates and especially women or to engage with  skilling institutions to input into curriculum and training, improve  learning environment etc
   ○ Propose governance models to ensure sustained and quality industry  involvement.
   
   
   B. Key Probing and Research areas

1. Understanding Employer Awareness and Perception:

• Employer Awareness: Assess awareness among employers regarding ITI programs and their graduates, Identify the Top 10 Sector per geography and conduct surveys and interviews with employers to understand their  perceptions of the quality and relevance of ITI training programs. 
• Employer Perception: Evaluate the perceived strengths and weaknesses of ITI graduates, including how employers view the employability of ITI graduates compared to graduates from other vocational training  programs.

• Employer Expectations: Identify key factors influencing employer  decisions regarding the hiring and performance evaluation of ITI  graduates( with a special focus on female candidates) 
• Challenges: What are the key challenges faced by employers in  integrating ITI graduates into their workforce effectively and what are  the kind of onboarding / induction programs they design for new  trainees from ITIs to meet these challenges?
  • What are the insights that employers have about compensation/  benefits/ training programs that can increase retention and performance of ITI trainees.

2. Mapping Industry Presence and Engagement:

Geographical Presence: Identify key/major/relevant industry clusters ( industry bodies, associations, and chambers of commerce relevant to the sectors represented in the ITIs.) in Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi and  Tamil Nadu, and map the major industries and sectors operating in  these regions.

3. Industry Engagement:

• • Identify existing collaborative projects between ITIs and companies aimed at enhancing ITI infrastructure and training programs.
  • Determine the number and nature of companies with existing partnerships with ITIs, including details on the types of collaborations (e.g., curriculum development, internships, apprenticeships).  
  • Map the role chambers of commerce/ sector skills councils currently play in ensuring relevance of skilling programs to industry requirements, and what may be good practices that can foster better interaction 
  • Document successful examples of collaborative projects and the benefits they have brought to ITIs and students.
  • Investigate how Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are being leveraged to secure funding and resources for advanced training facilities and equipment in ITIs. Identify challenges and best practices in securing and  utilizing PPP funding for advanced skilling. 
  • Critically examine the feasibility of alternative modes/ spaces for ITIs to engage with the industry and what factors may influence the success of these alternative modes.  

4. Identification of Employers with a Focus on Hiring Women:

• • Identify employers who have publicly declared their commitment to hiring from ITIs and especially women 
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of existing policies, gaps and initiatives in  promoting gender diversity within the workforce with alumni, employees  and HR reps.  
  • Probe the employers’ interests, capacities and willingness to champion the agenda of women’s participation in TVET institutions and making the transitions to work.  

C. Proposed Methodology:

1. Desk Research:

• • Review existing literature, reports, and studies related to employer  engagement with ITIs and gender diversity in the workforce. 
  • Gather information on the socio-economic landscape, industrial  clusters, and employment trends in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

2. Primary Data Collection:

• • Conduct surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions with  employers, HR managers, industry experts, and representatives from  industry bodies, students, ITI trainers/principals/Placement officers and  QA program persons.  
  • Utilize structured questionnaires and interview guides to ensure  consistency and reliability of data collection.

3. Data Analysis:

• • Utilize qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze survey  responses, interview transcripts, and other relevant data. 
  • Apply statistical tools and thematic analysis to identify patterns, trends,  and key insights.

D. Sample  
The sample for this study should be diverse and representative to ensure  comprehensive and actionable insights. Here’s a proposed sample framework for  each segment of the study:

1. Employers:Industry Sectors: Include a mix of key industries and trades- both  consisting of women focused trades as well as one which are future focused, and non traditional in nature, eg engineering trades

• • Company Size: Incorporate small, medium, and large enterprises to capture a  range of perspectives. 
  • Geographical Distribution: Ensure representation from various regions within Gujarat , Delhi-Haryana and Tamil Nadu to account for regional differences. ● Focus on Women Employment: Specifically target companies known for gender diversity initiatives and supportive policies for women.

Sample Size for Employers: 

• • X no of employers/state

2. Industry Bodies and Associations:

• • Include representatives from major industry bodies such as chambers of commerce, trade associations, and sector-specific councils and probe their roles and responsibilities. . 

Sample Size for Industry Bodies: 

• • 2-3 industry bodies/state

E. Deliverables:

1. Comprehensive report detailing the findings of the landscape study, including:

• •  Executive summary highlighting key findings and recommendations
  • Analysis of employer awareness, perception, and engagement with ITIs
  • Mapping of employer presence and industry bodies in Gujarat and Tamil  Nadu.
  • Identification of employers with a focus on hiring women and supportive  policies.
  • Recommendations on what will enable a more demand driven training  ecosystem and program model creation enhancing employer-ITI  collaboration to aid greater transition of women into the workforce.  Specific areas could encompass training design, mentorship and  internship opportunities, recommendations on gender diversity policies, types of joint initiatives, tailored awareness campaigns, support systems  for work-life balance for women, frameworks for evaluating gender  diversity initiatives' effectiveness, tracking gender representation and  advancement opportunities, and establishing feedback loops for continuous communication and adaptation 

2. Support with creating Presentation Decks of findings to stakeholders, including government agencies, ITIs, employers, and industry bodies.

3. Database of employers and industry bodies for future reference and engagement purposes (optional)

F. Timeline: 
The proposed timeline for the completion of the landscape study is September 24- January 25, subject to adjustments based on the scope and complexity of the  project.

G. Application Process

1. Detailed Proposal outline key questions to probe the objectives of the study, same size and stakeholders, methodology and a detailed timeline of the project along with roles and responsibilities(expected) of both QA and the  agency 

2. Previous and demonstrated experience of similar assignments , studies and reports.

3. Team members’ profiles and work experience.

Proposals must be submitted by August 19th 2024 to Tanvi Negi (tnegi@questalliance.net). Queries about the scope of work and other details can be directed to the same email address.  

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