Improving Job and Vocational Counselling Services (IQJVC)

Action /Activity:

Action I. -Employment

Activity I.III –Supporting Employment Policy-making and Implementation

 Title of the Operation:

Improving Job and Vocational Services Operation (IQJVC)

Operation Number:

TREESP1.3.IQJVC

Implementation Period:

07.10.2020-31.12.2024

Operation Beneficiary:

Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR)

Website / Social Media Accounts:

Twitter / @imdprojesi

LinkedIn / İMD Projesi

Interventions and Estimated Results:

The Operation is composed of (Technical Assistance) service component with a duration of 47 months.

Within this context;

·  Activities will be carried out to improve the policy making capacity of İŞKUR’s central staff and the implementation capacity of İŞKUR’s local staff (6085 staff). In line with this purpose, trainings will be provided for the use of the IT system to be developed by the personnel. Daily technical consultancy will be provided on qualified JVC services and processes. Vocational orientation tests will be developed, and consultancy will be provided for online applications.

·  İŞKUR's existing communication strategy will be improved and films related to İŞKUR’s services and vocations will be produced. 5 Career EXPO organizations will be held, promotional materials will be prepared and distributed, fictional characters will be designed. An international congress regarding employment policy will be organized as a closing event. 15,000 people will be reached as a result of awareness raising activities.

·   It is aimed to directly contribute to İŞKUR's policy-making and implementation capacity with scientific and technical studies. Thus, 6 reports will be prepared for inclusive service provision models for disadvantaged groups. 3 gap analysis reports will be prepared on effective cooperation mechanisms. Institutional needs analysis will be conducted. Evaluation of İŞKUR’s Employment Fairs and Career Days will be conducted. Forecasting models for professions and skills will be developed at sectoral level. Foreign exchange and internship programs will be arranged. Online database memberships will be provided.

·   4 workshops will be organized with the career centers of the universities. 3 workshops will be organized with private employment agencies, social partners and NGOs.

Current Situation:

(End of July 2024)

Intervention I – Institutional Capacity Building Activities

·  Training materials have been developed for 18 training modules.

·  4.446 participants have attended to trainings in 147 groups in 26 provinces.

·  Preparations have been initiated for 1.1.1 General Directorate trainings.

·  A major review of all Vocational Orientation Test Applications used by Public Employment Services (PES) in Europe and elsewhere in the world have been designed.

·  Concept notes were developed and shared under Activities 1.1.2.3, 1.1.2.4, 1.2 and 1.3.

·  Field visits were carried out under Activity 1.2 Consultancy on JVC Work Processes, and documents to be revised have been agreed on. Activity work plan has been prepared. Regarding the work processes, visits to İŞKUR Service Centers were paid. Draft documents for JVC job descriptions and job processes were prepared. JVC Handbook, Meeting Guide, New Graduate Guideline were updated and submitted for comments. Revisions are ongoing.

·  Activity 1.3 Development of Vocational Orientation Test Battery has kicked off, a working group has been established, item pool has been developed and the trial field study have been completed. The Norm Field Study was initiated; implementations for Adults and Students are ongoing. Translation-back translation processes for Arabic and English versions of the test have been completed and cultural adaptation process is ongoing. Computerized Adaptive Test software development is underway.

·  Activity 1.9 Promotional Conference was held with the attendance of more than 200 participants from the stakeholders.

·  Under 1.1.2.4 Trainings on Three Additional Topics reached as a result of Training Need Analyses activity; TNA survey has been conducted, two focus group meetings were held and the trainings have been completed. Activity Report was prepared and submitted for comments.

·  Under Activity 1.1.6, Information and Learning Management System, Needs Analysis meetings have been held. The system has been developed and tested by İŞKUR; its revision process is ongoing.

·  Under Activity 1.1.2.3, Guidance and Personal Counseling Training for JVCs have been planned and the training has been initiated.

Intervention II - Awareness Raising Activities

·  Project’s Communication and Visibility Plan have been developed.

·  Following promotional materials have been developed and distributed:

o   In the Second Steering Committee Meeting dated 24 March 2022: 250 packages (bag, pen, notebook, thermos mug and powerbank)

o   For the trainings under Activities 1.1.2.1 and 1.1.2.2: 2.864 packages (bag, pen, notebook, folder and ruler/bookmark)

o   Under Activity 1.9 Promotional Conference: 220 packages (laptop bag, power bank and pencil case)

o   Under Activity 2.3: Bags, pencils, notebooks and keychains (1.300 copies for each); 4.000 informative brochures about the project

·  Under Activity 2.5 Creation of Fictional Characters, 7 scenarios have been developed. 7 episodes have been prepared, 1 episode has been approved and revisions have been started for the remaining 6 episodes.

·  Concept notes and work plans were developed for Activities 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3 and 2.5.

·  Movies have been produced and approved for Act. 2.2.1 Institutional Introductory Movie and 2.2.2 Public Spot Movie.

·  Under 2.2.2 İŞKUR Services, four movies were prepared on Job Clubs, ÜSKAP, İEP – MEK and KİK and the movies were approved.

·  10 Vocational Introductory Movies have been produced and approved under Act. 2.2.3.

·  For Activity 2.1 Improvement of Communication Strategy, experts have been mobilised, a workshop has been held with the attendance of İŞKUR representatives and stakeholders, Communication Guideline and Communication Strategy documents have been drafted. Revision of the Communication Strategy is ongoing.

·  2-day Career Expos were held in Bursa (Gemlik), Denizli, Mersin and Sivas as part of the Activity 2.3 Organization of Career Expo. Preparations for the fourth Career Expo which will be held in October 2024 are ongoing.

Intervention III - Study and Research Activities

·  Under Activity 3.1 Inclusive Service Delivery Models for Disadvantaged Groups, six reports have been prepared. Workshops were held with the target group to share the research findings. Upon finalisation of the reports, a Dissemination Seminar was held with the attendance of stakeholders and social partners. Toolkits for each disadvantaged group has been drafted and pilot study has been conducted. Integration of pilot study outcomes in the Toolkits have been completed and the graphic design process has been initiated.

·  Under Activity 3.7 Online Database Memberships, İŞKUR’s subscriptions to AYEUM, SAGE and OECD databases have been completed. SAGE and OECD memberships have been renewed.

·  Under 3.6 International Exchange Programmes, study visits were held in Czechia, Ireland, Spain and Austria. Three hosting visits were held, three days each, with the attendance of experts from Ireland, Austria and Germany. Composite Report was prepared and submitted for comments.

·  As part of Activity 3.5 Development of Forecasting Model for Vocations and Skills at Sectoral Level, experts have been mobilised. Baseline analysis, information need analysis and methodology processes have been ongoing, as well as the database review process. Concept Paper has been prepared. Model development process has progressed and pilot study process is ongoing.

·  Under Act. 3.4 Improvement of İŞKUR’s Virtual Employment Fairs, a Concept Note and Work Plan have been agreed with the OB and expert has been mobilised. Quantitative and qualitative surveys have been shared with employers, job seekers and İŞKUR personnel; semi-structured meetings have been held. Reports and implementation guideline have been prepared following the meetings and the documents are approved.

Intervention IV – Coordination Cooperation

·  Under Act. 4.1 Organising Workshops with Career Centres of Universities, expert has been mobilised. Questionnaires to be applied to universities’ career centres and İŞKUR personnel have been prepared and questionnaire links were shared with the target groups. Data derived from the surveys were analysed and report was shared with İŞKUR and it was approved. The first two online workshops were held. Preparations are underway for the face-to-face workshops.

·  Under Act. 4.2 Workshops with Private Employment Agencies, Social Partners and NGOs, a Concept Note and Work Plan have been prepared and agreed with the OB. Survey implementation and face-to-face meetings with the target groups are ongoing.