LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION (LMI) Methods and Methodology · Labour Market Information (LMI) Methods and Methodologies Tool Kit (December 2013) Introduction and Background The challenge

LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION (LMI)

Methods and Methodology

A Four Step Process for Information Gathering and Reporting

MAP OF THE CARIBBEAN

BelizeJamaica

Cayman Is.

Bermuda

USA

Aruba Curacao

Bonaire

Trinidad &Tobago

GrenadaBarbados

St. Lucia

Dominica

St. Vincent

EustatiusSaba

MontserratNevis

Br. VirginIs. Anguilla

St.MaartenSt. Kitts

Antigua

Guy

ana

Surin

ame

December 10, 2013

Paul Swinwood C-EFE LMI Specialist

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Table of Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction and Background ........................................................................................................ 2

Labour Market Information - A Four Step Process ....................................................................... 4

Building the Study – Step 1: Planning ........................................................................................... 7

Building the Study – Step 2: Data ............................................................................................... 12

Building the Study – Step 3: Methodology .................................................................................. 18

Building the Study – Step 4: Reporting and Updating ................................................................. 21

Just in Time Labour Market Information Updating ...................................................................... 24

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 26

Annex 1 - Research Methods Primer .......................................................................................... 27

Annex 2 – Draft Survey Sample for a sector focused data ......................................................... 43

Annex 3 – ISCO 08 Occupational codes .................................................................................... 51

Annex 4 - CANTA, CVQ, NVQ.................................................................................................. 60

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ACRONYMS ACCC Association of Canadian Community Colleges ACTI Association of Caribbean Tertiary Institutions CANTA Caribbean Association of National Training Agencies CAPSS Caribbean association of Principals of Secondary Schools CARDI Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute CARICAD Caribbean Center for Development Administration CARICOM Caribbean Community CARTAC Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Center CCL Caribbean Congress of Labour CDB Caribbean Development Bank C-EFE CARICOM Education for Employment Program CROSQ CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality CSME CARICOM Single Market Economy CVQ Caribbean Vocational Qualification ECLAC Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean EU European Union IADB Inter-American Development Bank ILO International Labour Organization ISCO-08 International Standard Classification of Occupations LMI Labour Market Information NGO Non-Government Organization NOC National Occupation Codes NTA National Training Agency NTATT National Training Agency of Trinidad & Tobago

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OECS Organization of Eastern Caribbean States PROCICARIBE The Caribbean Agriculture Science and Technology Network System SKN St. Kitts and Nevis SLU St. Lucia SVG St. Vincent and the Grenadines TVET Technical, Vocational, Education and Training USAID United States Agency for International Development

UWI University of West Indies Cave Hill Campus (Barbados) Mona (Jamaica) St Augustine (Trinidad and Tobago) WB World Bank

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to acknowledge the support and input in the creation of this material by Mr. Neil Knudsen. His background, his support and his creativity in the development of this Methods and Methodology process can only be defined as invaluable. Partnerships and networking are the support lifelines in a consultants work,

CARICOM Education for Employment Program (C-EFE) 1 Labour Market Information (LMI) Methods and Methodologies Tool Kit (December 2013)

Executive Summary

Labour Market Information (LMI) is one of the main inputs to human resources policy for any training organization. The information from an LMI study can influence the investment in skills and training, content of the programs and lead to the more effective use of limited training and education budgets as well as brining industry into the loop in the beginning to ensure what demand driven training should be.

This methodology is presented as a standalone guide to conducting a Labour Market Information Study. The assumption is that the study will focus on demand driven skills from employer participation throughout the process and primarily in the data collection steps.

The four steps are:

1) Planning: where we outline the steps to take in executing an LMI Study

2) Data: provides information on how to choose the information to gather in the study

3) Methodology: How to interact with stakeholders and gather the data needed for the study to turn information into intelligence.

4) Reporting: Analyzing and organizing the data so the report can impact educational decisions.

Each of these steps are supported with background information, a project planner, a checklist and a project gate. These elements ensure that the study is completed to the full satisfaction of all sponsors and stakeholders. As well a short primer on updating data between studies is identified.


Introduction and Background The challenge of meeting the ever growing demand for skilled, trained labour is a worldwide issue and while economic head winds have buffeted the world’s employment pictures, the summary for the Caribbean has been published as: “GDP growth has been widespread, benefiting most of the economies of Central America, the Caribbean and South America. It also has had an impact on reducing the still high levels of poverty and inequality, a trend closely associated with improved key labour market indicators” (ILO). “Labour markets represent the backbone of economic functioning, providing the means of survival to populations, with labour income ensuring the livelihood of workers and families alike. Labour is also an essential input into production – in many cases it is the main input, especially in service sectors which are dominant sectors in the Caribbean” (ECLAC).

Labour Market Information (LMI) is one of the main inputs to human resources policy for any training organization. The information from an LMI study can influence the investment in skills and training, content of the programs and lead to the more effective use of limited training and education budgets. As well, effective Labour Market Information can be used in raising the numbers of graduates finding employment within their fields through effective questioning of the employers on their needs.

The impact of a training regime that does not reflect market demand can be seen in many of the CARICOM countries where according to current reports, graduates may go without jobs while thousands of foreign workers are brought in to fill open positions.

A situational analysis of LMI in the CARICOM region identified the following gaps and challenges related to LMI gathering:

1. The demand side of labor data from CARICOM member states not readily available in any reliable structure and/or is non-existent.

2. Up-to-date LMI reports across government entities (i.e. Labour, Education, and Employment) are not readily available for use in training departments.

3. There a need for all member states to have and use sectoral studies, tracer studies, labour surveys, gender analyses and other pertinent documents for the benefit of a holistic demand-driven LMI resource.

4. Regional labour market activities would be enhanced through the use of common definitions of occupations and vocational qualifications.

The LMI Objectives

Demand side data Up to date reports Widespread use Common definitions Centralized process Flexible approach Gender sensitivity


5. A centralized LMI portal with data presented in standard formats could contribute to:

policies, training and employment.

6. LMI gathering processes need to be flexible enough to be adapted to the varying fiscal capabilities of CARICOM member states.

On the surface gathering labour market information is a simple concept; evaluate a specific sector and occupations within that sector to provide educational institutions and training institutions to develop curriculum so that graduates with the proper skills and competencies are available to the employers to meet their needs. In practice however, the myriad of issues related to survey design and execution can lead to inaccurate results that do not reflect the employer demand situation.

Throughout the materials a sensitivity to gender stereotyping must be recognized and acknowledged. The difficulties in collection and analysis must be taken into account throughout the process.

It is within this context that a standardized, easy to follow LMI process is being developed that will enable all TVET organizations within the CARICOM to work within their budgets, co-develop surveys and deliver LMI of value to the C-EFE educational institutions and other training delivery centers across the region.

Objectives of this Methods and Methodology Process

1. To increase knowledge and understanding of approaches for demand driven LMI within

the TVET community;

2. To promote use of current best practices in LMI gathering more broadly across the CARICOM

3. To standardize definitions to enable comparisons and cross fertilization of processes

across the CARICOM;

4. To increase the capacities of TVET and strengthen relationships between industry and education and government.

5. To increase the competencies of the TVET staff to be able to do LMI work.

6. To populate the C-EFE / CANTA website with examples of successful LMI results.


Labour Market Information - A Four Step Process In this overview of the four step process, the high level review of the steps, each objective and the identification of the goals is covered.

Planning First up is to determine exactly what the objective of the LMI project will be. Planners need to understand what the outputs will be used for, which types of decisions they will inform and who will be making those decisions. Early on, a steering committee must be set up. Comprised of stakeholders from all components of the industry to be studied, the steering committee will provide invaluable sector expertise, connections and support for the project regardless of its specific objectives. The steering committee must become involved as early in the process as the framing and outcome deliberations described here.

DataNext up is to decide what type of data will be needed to support the LMI model to be developed and where that data will come from. This will usually include both official primary data, such as census, parish studies, national studies and other official statistical data, as well as secondary data obtained by surveys, focus groups and other research methods directly from industry stakeholders. Decisions must be made about what data is important to the TVET process, what is already available and how it might be accessed. Another data issue is the availability of standardized data such as National Occupation Definitions such as the ISCO-08, these are the starting point for many Caribbean studies. Also, careful investigation is needed into determining what will happen as the economic context (eg/ the value chain) of the sector being studied changes; will new types of data be needed? The data regime of the study must be very carefully planned and executed.

As part of the economic restructuring plan of several Caribbean territories, a decentralization strategy was embarked upon. This strategy is based on a need to integrate, corroborate and disseminate information on a ‘just in time’ basis. At the 2012 C-EFE ‘Labor Market Information Workshop relating to demand Driven Programming’, Jamaica, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and St. Vincent and the Grenadines TVET practitioners highlighted their role in being a part and the use of industry committees/sector groups/lead bodies to gain ‘buy in’ from a specific sector and to produce national sectoral policies. Co-

The six “Plans” for a Successful project

Plan the whole project carefully upfront

Plan to engage all stakeholders in the project

Plan carefully what data is to be gathered

Plan carefully where the data will be sourced

Plan for how the results will be measured and then updated

Plan for the visibility of the project


partnering with the private sector, lead bodies have, for example, been implemented in the following areas on a national basis:

Informatics Garment Construction/Textiles Construction Skills Agriculture Hospitality & Tourism Services Auto Mechanics/Mechanical Engineering

MethodologyThe next step in an LMI project is to determine the methodology to be used. Primarily the methodology addresses three key steps: how will the data needed for the study will be collected, how will the model be generated and how will the resulting outputs be tested. There are many factors that impact this step and while some are common to all projects, for the most part the methodology is unique to a particular industry sector and point in time. These two elements, industry and time, will usually dictate the data available, how easy or difficult it may be to come by, how it may change over time. The data analysis by the team and the multi-faceted steering committee must also be planned to be as inclusive as possible to ensure all approaches are considered.

ReportingandUpkeepHaving completed the project definition, determined the data needs, and worked though the gathering and analysis, the report of the findings is the last step. There are nuances to how the results are reported, depending on whether they are historical only or look into the future. Future looking analyses are either projections or forecasts and it is important to understand the difference. Also, most LMI projects are designed so that the results can be used to inform subsequent studies. A process of “evergreening” the study is best started early on, with a view to ownership of intellectual property of the model, ongoing engagement of stakeholders for follow up surveys and availability of data. The resources and capacities of TVETs vary from region to region and a sample maintenance plan is included.

HowtousethisdocumentThis document is designed to provide both background information and helpful “how-to” instruction on conducting an LMI study. The best way to use this document is to follow it step by step:

1. Read the overview of each section


2. For each section outline your project plan

3. Complete the requirements in the check list. The checklists are on separate pages so they can be copied and used apart from the main document.

4. Verify that the project plan has been followed and completed

5. Move to the next section

There is a comprehensive Research Primer in Annex 1. This primer provides a wealth of information to help you design your study, decide on the survey methods and conduct your questioning.

Annex 2 provides a slightly modified sample of a survey used successfully in a recent project in Guyana where the mining sector was targeted for demand based LMI.

As with any project, careful planning and monitoring of the execution will lead to a successful outcome.


Building the Study – Step 1: Planning

Background As with any research project, the usefulness of the outcome, and so the overall success of the project, is usually directly proportional to the amount of time and effort put into designing the exercise in the first place. Projects with unclear objectives, too many objectives, poor methodologies and weak leadership usually fail, or provide results that are of marginal value. First up then is determining why do an LMI study at all?

As stated earlier, there are many reasons to do an LMI study: informing training or immigration policy or determining where to provide industrial support are just a few. It is best to think of using an LMI study to solve a problem. In that context then, before diving into the design of the study itself, ask a few direct questions:

‐ What is the problem to be solved? ‐ Who does it impact? ‐ Who is responsible for fixing it? ‐ Who are we talking about? ‐ What scope are we covering? ‐ How long do we have to do the work? ‐ Who and what resources are available?

For the C-EFE project, the focus is on technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Even within this mandate, which is quite broad, the opportunity to focus objectives exists. For example, one issue related to the first point is acknowledging that a skills shortage is not the same as a labour shortage. It is possible to have a lot of people available for work who are unemployable because they lack the skills necessary to do the job. That contrasts with not having people available to do the job regardless. The last two points are particularly relevant because often the organization responsible for fixing a problem is not the same one the problem impacts. From a C-EFE perspective, only infrequently do industries directly take on the training of the workers they hire and this is usually within the large international firms. This divergence of perspective can have negative consequences for the design of a study unless it is resolved early on in the process.

Research has shown that young people in the Caribbean region (those 30 years of age our younger) represent 63% of the Region’s population. The “youth unemployment” rate in the region is on average of 23%. This stands in some contrast to 75 developed and developing countries that average 17% youth unemployment, according to the report of the 15-member CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (CCYD). Several explanations have been

Planning Priorities 1. What problem do we want to

solve 2. Who is involved? 3. Who can help? 4. Who are we talking about? 5. How big is the problem? 6. How long do we have to

study? 7. Who is going to do it?


advanced for the high levels of youth unemployment in the region. It has been argued that the educational system has not provided young persons with the requisite skills and knowledge to meet the needs of employers. Another reason is the lack of work experience when young persons seek to enter the job market. Since it costs employers resources to train such persons, they are not very attractive to employers unless they agree to accept low wages. Finally, another argument for the high youth employment problem is the demise of the low-skilled job in the sugar and banana industries, as a result of the gradual removal of trade preferences, and the move towards greater trade liberalization. (Eye on the Future: Invest in YOUTH NOW for the

Community Tomorrow,” CARICOM Commission on Youth Development, 2010).

At the 2012 C-EFE, ‘Labor Market Information Workshop relating to Demand-Driven Programming’, representatives of the following countries identified their current skills shortages:

1. St. Vincent & Grenadines - Information Technology

2. Guyana -Machine Operators

3. St. Kitts & Nevis -Carpentry/joinery

4. Suriname -Trained welders

These skills shortages, if confirmed through sound LMI, exist despite an excess of labour in the form of unemployed young persons. This situation highlights the need to carefully plan LMI and link it to training programmes so that countries do no not experience the dilemma of having jobs without people, and people without jobs.

Some of the questions that impact the objective of a study are

‐ Uniqueness: are the occupations to be studied unique to the industry (e.g. / nuclear engineer) or are they shared with others (e.g. / diesel mechanic). Can the data related to the industry in question be parsed from what is already available in an economic study funded by another group ( ILO)?

‐ Granularity: to what degree must the results be parsed? Is a single national number sufficient, or are regional / island / country / municipal / parish numbers required?

‐ Sample population: This is an adjunct to the uniqueness issue. In surveying information for the objective being considered, are there specific populations that must be included? Can they be separately identified and are the data available? Is gender an issue?

‐ Resources available: How much money and time is available to complete the study? If either is limited it is always preferable to cover a small scope well rather than a larger one poorly (see legitimacy of the project below)

A related problem that impacts the initial design of LMI studies is scope creep. LMI studies can be expensive and time consuming to complete. There is often a temptation to share the costs


with another organization but this usually comes at the expense of keeping the project focussed. As we will see, a well done LMI project gathers inputs from stakeholders over a broad geographical and industrial range. Adding more objectives at the outset expands the scope, and the work to be done, exponentially. Unless it is absolutely necessary, avoid scope creep in the planning of the LMI project.

An LMI study, as with any economic work, is not a pure numerical exercise. There are numerous subjective issues that impact the outcome of the project and a deep knowledge of the industry in question is key to a successful study. For this reason alone, a strong, experienced steering committee is an important part of an LMI study. This committee can assist the project team in identifying issues, refining objectives and evaluating outcomes. As well, the committee can provide important access to the industry personnel needed to complete the surveys of the project. However, one of the most important purposes of a steering committee is to “sell” the results. Developing public policy is a difficult job and even evidence based policy can run into roadblocks if the evidence is disputed. Having a steering committee that represents all the stakeholders of the industry, that has participated fully in the oversight of the project, and that has had a real chance to vet the outcomes goes a long way to providing legitimacy to the project. Some examples of groups usually represented on a steering committee include:

‐ Large and small companies ‐ Industry Associations ‐ Government departments ‐ Unions ‐ Educational and training institutions ‐ Local and regional governments

Avoid the temptation to exclude a particular group because they may slow down or impede the progress of the project. Better to get the challenges resolved while the project is underway than to wait until it is completed and it is too late to change anything. In fact, if anything expand the committee to include members both from groups that are supplying information to the study and those who are mandated to act on it.

An important part of the success of an LMI project is the data available to drive it. As we will see in the next section, there are myriad considerations to be assessed. Some of these may in fact require the project managers or the steering committee to revisit the original objectives in order to ensure they are realistic and achievable.

Another element of the planning that is affected by the data is whether to have the outcome provide a forecast or a projection. A forecast uses the existing input data and looks forward to predict labour demand in the future. It assumes no parameters change. A projection on the other hand, allows the user to change current or future parameters and determine the impact on the derived values. National projections allow users to address question such as: “what will labour demand be in 5 years if GDP grows at 3% instead of 2%?” The ability of the JIT study to address questions such as these depends on proper design and the availability of time series data that matches the projection time frame. If a copper mine goes ahead in Guyana, what is


the impact in three years, five years on skills demand if it is an international firm versus a local firm.

ProjectManagementIn each section we have included a short listing of the key items to consider when planning the work of that section.

Action Responsible person

Budget Due date

Notes

Project master plan Define timeline, deliverables, and budget

Set Project Timeline

Budget tracking sheet

Select Steering committee


PlanningCheckListThis checklist will ensure no major elements of the project are left undone

Item Notes

Project objectives Which industry do you wish to study? Are there other related industries that should be examined at the same time?

Are there existing statistics to back up the reason for the project (ie/ percentage school leavers getting jobs?) and to measure future success

Steering committee Identify 5 – 10 people from a wide spectrum who will provide connections, guidance and verify conclusions. They should be well respected so their advice on the project carries weight. As gender is usually an issue, select appropriate members to ensure identification

Set their meeting schedule so they can understand the time commitment

Will they travel for meetings? Consider budgets Stakeholders to approach Make a list of the companies in the industry being studied, and

names of key personnel Prepare an invitation to participate:

o The reason for the study o What they will need to do (complete a survey, review results) o The time commitment o The why they should participate statement

Do you need preliminary interviews to plan the project? Who will help with this

Review the list with the steering committee Budget Travel for investigators, steering committee members,

stakeholders Survey tools costs (eg/ On line surveys, interview questions

development) Admin help with contacting stakeholders, arranging interviews Printing and distributing the report

Project plan Addresses the main elements of the project with timelines, budget, person responsible, deliverables: o Project objectives o Steering committee selection o Data plan (see section 2) o Survey design and testing (see section 3) o Survey follow up and gap filling o Analysis, report draft, steering committee review, final report

Completingstep1As we have stated, one of the most crucial elements of a successful LMI project is a solid upfront plan. Before moving to the next step and planning your data gathering, make sure that you have objectives, budget, timelines and the key participants all identified.


Building the Study – Step 2: Data

Background The data used for an LMI study is the heart of the project and will make or break its success. These input data (demand drivers) are used to calculate the employment coefficient which in turns leads to the labour demand outcomes. Careful attention to the data used will help ensure that the study serves its purpose and is accepted by the target group.

When choosing data sources an important consideration is the longevity of the source. Since most LMI studies will be refreshed at some point, researchers should consider whether a particular data source will still be available the next time the study is performed.

Secondary sources of data usually come from industry interviews, surveys and focus groups. In assessing this data researchers should consider the reliability of the data. Does the source have a vested interest in skewing the data one way or another? In sourcing secondary data particular attention should be paid to ensuring participants have a clear understanding of the definitions used, and have identified any varying timeline factors that may make their data incompatible with that from other participants.

Some data can only come from secondary sources. The “quit” rate, the rate at which people quit their jobs, impacts labour demand as these jobs must be refilled each year. Similarly, the descriptions of the occupations being surveyed are unique to the industry and so this information can only come from industry itself. Lastly, while the retirement rate can be estimated, industry data is required to confirm average retirement ages.

Issues with data usually arise in one of several areas: definition, timeline, population. For the most part, each of these will require that the data be manipulated to some degree so that it can be correlated with other data points in the study.

Data can also provide an opportunity for additional investigation. In The Guyana Survey results, the huge demand for Metallurgical Technicians opens the door for TVET’s to further define the need and the training development to fill a significant number of jobs.

Definitions

Defining the occupations to be studied is not as easy as it may seem at first. Ensuring common agreement and understanding is important, so the use of ISOC codes as a baseline definition is always the way to go. From the C-EFE perspective, use of ISOCs allows the work done in one country to inform that of another, reducing the amount of work to be done, allowing results to be compared, and in the case of training, setting the stage for a network of training and education facilities that can mutually support the entire region. Once industry partners have agreed to the

Define the data to collect 1. Identify Sources:

a. Primary (existing studies)

b. Secondary (surveys, interviews, etc)

2. Occupational Definitions to be used

3. Time period to examine 4. Decide on the population

to be studied


definitions of the occupations being studied, those common definitions can be used to inform training curricula and map to the CVQ’s both national and regional. With a common curriculum, training institutions will be able to support the whole region, eliminating the need for each CARICOM member to provide training in every occupation for every industry, for every sector a huge economic and resource burden.

In the event ISOC’s are not available for the occupations to be studied, then the steering committee should be engaged to define them before starting and terms should be agreed to by all parties. Depending on the perspective of the reader, “miner” or “tourism worker” do not always encompass the same population. Again, this will reinforce commonality of the resulting training curricula across the region. In a similar vein, the industries to be polled should also be carefully defined. Standard Industry Classification (SIC) codes are useful for this. Use of ISOC and SIC codes also ensures that primary data, such as census data, is properly parsed before use.

In creating the employment coefficients that will link industry demand drivers to labour demand, clearly define the production output metrics to be used, especially if they will come from secondary sources such as industrial partners. These demand drivers (barrels of oil, tonnes of ore, overnight visitors) can all mean slightly different things, depending on how they are measured. That said, these varied demand drivers present an opportunity for creativity. As long as a link to labour demand can be established and the data source will be available, use it.

Definitions also apply to data from primary sources. Care should be taken to understand what is being represented. For example, an industry sector is not the same as a particular labour market, due to the overlap of common occupations. Be careful not to mix data that are incompatible.

Timeline

In examining the economic context of an industry (eg/ the value chain) it is important to understand how that context may change over time. These changes usually manifest themselves by changing the nature of the data they underlie. Some examples of data that can change over time are:

‐ Productivity. The actual output per worker per unit time can change, leading to changes in derived demand for the same level of a demand driver

‐ Are there seasonal aspects to the data? When was it collected? ‐ Has inflation impacted the data at all?

In some cases data can be adjusted to compensate for time variability, but only if the collection date and the change in the metric over the period are known. As an example, this concept is the basis behind “inflation adjusted” figures.

Population

Unless it specifically covers the entire region, most data will represent a subset of the total population, which may be bounded by geography, political boundaries, or industry. In sourcing primary data, pay attention to the population it represents and make sure that it can be


correlated with other data from a different population. A simple example highlights the challenges: if a company reports its output as a single value, but is known to operate in two geographical regions, can you determine the output per employee on a regional basis?

This also highlights a second population issue: granularity. The degree to which data can be applied to smaller and smaller subsets of the whole depends to a large degree on the original sample size and the underlying population. Gender also becomes an issue of granularity, if few females are employed in the field / occupations at this time, how to collect significant responses will be difficult. Statistical reliability of the data should always be maintained. This issue can also inform the design of the project objectives where there are only a few large employers in the industry. The need for granularity is determined by looking at the locations of specific plants and determining how far a worker must or will travel to get a job there. Will workers transplant themselves to gain a job and if so how far will they go? In the Caribbean this may be a major issue and a major benefit of the CVQ qualifications being standardized and adopted.

Population issues also come into play when using the outcome of an LMI study to evaluate labour supply. Wages in an industry can change its “attractiveness” to a labour market when it shares occupations with another. E.g., more men are entering formerly “female” professions such as cooking and health care because they see the money in the tourism and geriatric industries. While in the short term the labour supply of that population remains the same before and after the change, the likelihood of attracting workers will mirror wage changes. Furthermore, wage changes also affect the value model of the industry. Accommodating the impact of wage changes on data is a challenge in the design of any model, particularly since they usually also have a timeline component. Time lines in the C-EFE JIT LMI studies will be very important in the context of time to implement curriculum, deliver training and then deliver trained graduates to the employers.

Another secondary population issue relates to skill levels. When labour demand is mapped to labour sources, care must be taken to ensure that the target population shares the same skill demographic. An example of this is the potential for error in assuming the skills of a youth demographic are the same for a domestic cohort and a cohort of immigrants. The employment levels of youth are the major target of this project, so capturing the JIT demand for this cohort is imperative in these studies.

In conclusion, it should be clear that the data that drives a particular LMI model can be subject to a myriad of factors that can negatively impact the accuracy of the model. A clear understanding and careful analysis of the data sources used is the key to mitigating these issues.

Timelines will be the most influential item in JIT studies.

1. Curriculum development 2. Training Delivery 3. Employment ready

graduates 4. Employer demand


ProjectManagementIn each section we have included a short listing of the key items to consider when planning the work of this section.


Budget Due date

Notes

Data parameters defined

Identify data sources Any need to be purchased?


DataCheckListThis checklist will ensure no major elements of the project are left undone:

Item Notes

Data points defined Decide which data to collect: eg/ which measures of the industry will reflect the demand for skilled people. Consider o Volume of production (eg/ tons of ore per year) o Revenue per company o Current employment numbers by occupation code o Region they operate in o Locally or foreign owned?

Target Population Defined Within the stakeholder companies, do you need information on every job? If not, which ones will you study?

Gender recognition. Ensure the population is well defined, with no ambiguities.

Occupation codes to use If possible use ISCO - 08 codes. Prepare a subset of the listing for use by the stakeholders. Make sure there is a clear definition for each occupation used in the study.

If not using ISCO – 08 prepare listing of occupations that may be employed by the industry such as the CVQ occupations and levels.

Determine if experience levels need to be considered. If so, set years of experience ranges.

Primary data defined What external data needs to be collected to provide context to the survey results and allow forecasting? o Total population and GDP o School graduation rates and employment rates o Turnover rates o Inflation o Performance of complementary industries o Does the primary data cover other industries as well?)

How have the primary data changed over time? This may affect the forecasting

Secondary data defined Listing of general company information Current employment by ISCO – 08 codes: numbers (foreign/local),

experience level, salary, open positions Expected employment by ISCO – 08 codes: same as above. How

many are new positions and how many replace leavers? What growth will drive the new positions? PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE TIMESCALE OF THESE ANSWERS

Probe issues affecting hiring (positive and negative) eg/ unions, regulations, financing, applicant skill level, etc

Time period to study In designing the study, consider the time period of the data collected: o Duration of the project (eg/ a yearlong project needs next year’s

data) o The length of the C-EFE project to deliverable of skilled people

determines the minimum timeline. o Availability of primary data (ie/ how recent is it?) o Scope of forecast. How far into the future are you forecasting?

This will depend on the training programs you are supporting with the study.


Completingstep2Before moving to the next step, Methodology, ensure that the data that needs to be collected has been well defined and approved by the steering committee.


Building the Study – Step 3: Methodology

Background

In the previous section we saw the extent to which data can vary and the impact that can have on an LMI study. Equally important to the success of a study is the methodology used. To a certain extent the methodology can impact the data it sources, but equally important is the impact methodology can have on issues that can affect the outcome of the project: statistical relevance and accuracy of secondary data, ability to test the results, and stakeholder acceptance of the outcome.

Statistical relevance is driven primarily by overall population and sample size. The methodology should ensure the samples for surveys are large enough to cover the smallest subdivision of the results predicted for the study.

When data is sourced through surveys or focus groups, the participants should be identified and their access to the knowledge required confirmed. Part of the methodology should be to carefully evaluate “subjective” tools such as surveys, paying particular attention to the range of responses expected and actually received. For example, in surveys there is a balance between open ended and multiple choice questions. Open ended questions will usually reveal nuances in responses but are difficult to correlate and quantify, while multiple choice questions will limit the variability in responses but may not adequately cover all the expected scenarios being surveyed. In either case, careful testing will reveal shortcomings in the survey design.

It is at this point that the decisions on the balance between online surveys, face to face surveys, focus groups and key informant interviews must be made. These decisions may have to be made based upon multiple factors including time, distance, resources (money, people), industry availability and local influences of culture and expectations.

A well connected steering committee can prove invaluable in the testing process. They can often facilitate access to a wide range of participants ahead of the main survey as well as provide important feedback on the responses.

In designing surveys it is important to plan for exceptions. The survey team should have a plan for boosting responses should the rate be too low. There should also be a plan for accommodating missing data: either from particular participants or from specific regions/areas/industries where for some reason the response rate is below expectations.

In recruiting survey participants, the steering committee is not the only source of assistance. Consider partnering with organizations that may have an interest in the outcome of the study. One survey team partnered with a trade magazine to identify participants. In exchange for

Methodology 1. Choose survey methods 2. Design and test survey 3. Recruit participants 4. Execute the survey 5. Identify and evaluate

missing data


access to their mailing list the magazine was promised first access to the trade related outcomes.

The acceptance of the study is impacted by both the data and the methodology. In many cases questions that arise concerning the outcome of the study can be addressed by referring to the inputs and the process that affected them. Ensuring that there is visibility into the methodology will go a long way to garnering support for the study.

As was pointed out earlier, resources available to the study can influence its design, particularly the methodology. It should be emphasized again: it is better to plan a well conducted project with a limited scope than to expand the objectives and offer incomplete or questionable results. In that case the whole LMI report is called into question and the value of the entire work is diminished. With a focus on C-EFE, the balance of limited resources should probably tip in the direction of studying occupation descriptions, as these can be used to inform the design of course curricula. A first pass ranking of quantitative demand can be determined subjectively through the survey process as it examines CVQ / NOC / ISOC codes and skill requirements for the occupations being studied. The study of the exact quantitative aspects of each occupation, the labour demand and drivers, can follow as an input to inform training program promotion and recruitment.



Budget Due date

Notes

Survey methods Do tools need to be purchased

Design and test the survey(s)

Execute the surveys

Evaluate the results


MethodologyCheckListThis checklist will ensure no major elements of the project are left undone.

Item Notes

Survey type(s) Use a survey for a “first pass” collection of secondary data. Decide between online, telephone, or mail survey

Use a focus group or interviews to fill in missing data Confirm target population and contact strategy

Confirm the jobs you want to study within the stakeholder firms Review contact strategy (have phone or email contacts)

Design the survey With the data plan in hand, review the “research primer” and sample survey in Annex 2, then design your survey

Prepare the support materials for the survey o Introductory letter – addresses reason for the survey, promises

of confidentiality, timeline expectations, involvement in results

o Listing of occupational codes to use and definitions o Survey document (if not online)

Test the survey with the steering committee Make adjustments and test again with internal staff or a small

sample of the target Timelines for the survey Surveys are the biggest time element of the study. Monitor

carefully to ensure the project stays on tract Have a plan to contact stakeholders for missing responses

Evaluate Results Examine results for missing data – is there a constant or are the gaps random

Do the data correlate with outside/primary data (eg/ is one person producing $10MM in output? There may be an error in responding)

Do projected requirements match other forecasts (eg/ will output triple but hiring only increase by 50%?)

Do the data correlate among respondents (eg/ in the same industry you would expect similar productivity)

Follow up Determine missing data and subjective questions concerning results (eg/ Why does productivity increase over 5 years?)

Review the “research primer” to design interviews/focus groups Prepare support materials as for the survey Test the questions with staff or the steering committee

Completingstep3Before moving to the next step, Reporting and Updating, ensure that all the data identified in step 2 has been collected and that there are no major gaps in it.


Building the Study – Step 4: Reporting and Updating

Background

With the study completed the focus turns next to the outcome. With the objectives defined, the data selected, the methodology followed, and the coefficients/outcomes tested, the next step is to put the study into use. Depending on the sponsor, there may be restrictions on the final use or distribution of the study. However, if there are none, experience shows that wide distribution is an important factor in raising awareness of the study and the issues it addresses. It helps to build support for both the study and the process, which will be invaluable when the time comes to update the study.

Very few LMI studies can stand alone for long. Their data becomes outdated as the industry evolves. Forecasts and projections are proven right or wrong as time points are passed. The human resource issues that are critical to the industry change. For these and other reasons, the study periodically needs to be updated.

The frequency of the update should be determined at the outset of the project as this requirement could well drive data source selection. The frequency of updates should be informed by a few factors:

‐ Changing parameters. The rate and magnitude of demand driver change should impact the frequency of updates. If the key driver changes significantly only once every year, then it is unlikely the study needs updating more than once every 2 or 3 years.

‐ Survey fatigue. In most industries it is the value chain that changes most quickly. For that reason industry participation is key to both the initial study and any updates. However, if for consistency the same participants are tagged for every survey, they may begin dropping out, citing the amount of time required to participate.

‐ Objectives of the study. If the main purpose of the study is to inform training and education programs, then updates more frequent than every few years are not likely to be necessary because of the limited rate at which curricula change.

‐ Data inconsistency. As noted in the methodology section, surveys are prone to variability due to their subjective nature. If surveys are repeated too often, the study runs the risk of parameters varying outside of their acceptable range, which makes trending and other time variant analysis difficult to do.

The upshot is this: LMI studies should be designed with updates in mind, but those updates should be planned at a frequency no greater than absolutely necessary.

Reporting 1. Determine demand 2. Verify conclusions with

steering committee 3. Distribute results 4. Plan for next update




Budget Due date

Notes

Determine demand

Prepare draft report

Review study

Finalize and distribute

Update and Maintain


ReportingCheckListThis checklist will ensure no major elements of the project are left undone

Item Notes

Determine demand Using the project plan, collected data (primary and secondary) prepare skills demand projections

In a table correlate industry and hiring growth by year and by occupation.

Prepare draft report The draft report should cover: o Project plan o Stakeholders contacted o Sample survey/questionnaires o Results of survey/questionnaires o Study conclusions o Discussion on results (potential for errors, future efforts,

missing primary data, etc) Review study Steering committee reviews the draft report

Decision on whether further data gathering is needed Recommendations for changes to conclusions, methodology, etc

Update strategy Determine the update strategy: when does the data need to be refreshed?

Which data are likely to change over time? On the timeline proposed, does every data point need to be

refreshed, or will a sample suffice? If possible get commitments from stakeholders now for future

updates. Finalize and distribute Distribute the survey to the steering committee, sponsors,

stakeholders and education officials Update and Maintain Develop workplan for ongoing information collection

Completingstep4Having the results vetted by the steering committee and optionally some key participants will go a long way to broad acceptance of the study.


Just in Time Labour Market Information Updating When a baseline data set has been developed that can be used for any of the education, training, skills upgrading, standards development processes, the next question is maintenance of the data and renewal on an affordable, regular, non invasive schedule. This process normally is much less formal than the process we have followed to gather the original data but is equally important throughout the life cycle of the demand driven LMI, training, education process. Many organizations will be unable to afford multiple large scale LMI surveys but will need to ensure that the identified programs are relevant to the industries that provide employment in their region. Following the basic methodology outlined in the previous 4 sections, an institution with limited resources may choose to identify the sectors of most importance and then:

1) Identify / develop a relationship with the employers willing to volunteer their time.

2) Set up a sector program advisory committee a. Define the scope of the committee in consultation with employers, education /

trainers, government funders, government economic planning departments and individuals employed in the sector in the occupations defined and recent graduates of each of the programs.

b. Develop a work plan to identify local / regional / international economic decisions that may or could impact the local sector skills demands. e.g.

i. CDB reports ( http://www.caribank.org/ )

1. Oil moving to $200.00 barrel increasing demand for solar power technicians.

ii. CARICOM economic reports ( www.caricom.org ) 1. New CARICOM trade agreements resulting in additional CVQ

mobility. iii. WTO ( www.wto.org) trade developments that impact local industry. iv. Identify local economic development investments in infrastructure,

energy, natural resources released by Departments of Economic Development or other as appropriate.

v. Develop relationships with these departments to have the TVET organization become part of the solution up front.

vi. Constantly review local newspaper /TV/ internet news for developments that impact the skills demand in your territory. For example, the Panama

UPDATING 1. Maintain sector relationships 2. Identify data gathering

processes / supply 3. Involve the community 4. Report the results


Canal doubling in size will result in new free trade zones, meaning more workers for building docks in Trinidad.

vii. Become members of local sectoral associations, attend the meetings to build steering committee interest and survey respondents (see d below).

viii. Using local information identify the sector employer base used by other government departments (for d below) such as remittance reports.

c. Schedule one or two meetings per year ( dependent on volatility ) with the

steering committee to review: i. The economic outlook for the sector ( see b above) ii. The employer short term demand for the occupations defined by the

sector group. iii. The employer supply / demand issues for workers iv. The ability of graduates from various skills / education programs to find

employment in the sector v. The impact of changes in technology on the sector vi. The impact of local government priorities on the sector

d. Develop a quarterly scheduled, web based survey process of the top 10

questions to ask all employers you have identified in section b. vii above. i. Sample questions could be:

1. Are you hiring? 2. Which occupations ( drop down list of the sector) 3. Are you downsizing? 4. Which occupations? ( drop down list) 5. Which occupations are you having the hardest job finding? 6. What occupations are the easiest to find? 7. Which occupations are you training 8. What new technology are you implementing? 9. What skills impact need to be addressed? 10. Open question on what else they need re skills?

ii. Include a summary response from previous report as part of survey distribution to encourage employer participation.

e. Develop a regularly scheduled meeting with the HR manager of the three (or

more) largest employers in your priority sector to discuss d above face to face.

3) Produce a report annually from the steering committee, on the finding from the above work that may suggest updates to the education and training curriculum, identify employers’ recommendations and provide materials for input to government policy / priorities on training by sector.

a. Upon approval by senior management distribute to all employers, education and training institutions and other interested parties.

b. Develop the next years LMI update plan for approval by management


Conclusion Demand-driven labour market information is one of the most important factors influencing technical and vocational education and training. Industries simply will not hire graduates that do not possess the skills they require. In that sense they are the key driver of training requirements. It only makes sense that they should participate in the planning of that training, and an LMI study is one way for them to do that.

LMI studies can be large, complicated projects, but they can also be designed to address very specific JIT requirements such as the identification of occupations/ qualifications in demand in a specific sector (agriculture, mining, renewable energy) and identifying the skills and competencies needed by employers. This in turn leads to the development of occupational standards (CVQ’s) and clarity for employers, educators and individuals.

Either way, clearly defining at the outset the objectives of the study and how they will be achieved increases the likelihood of success greatly.

In this document we have outlined a simply methodology for conducting a demand-driven LMI study. By following the four steps and utilizing the information or a subset of this information in the background materials, someone new to the process can conduct a successful study and be well on their way to supporting a more productive, industry responsive training infrastructure.


Annex 1 - Research Methods Primer

This methodology document includes a “how to” on gathering LMI data. Since this is a form of research we have also included here a primer on research methods in general, covering some key topics and offering advice on various information gathering techniques. This information will hopefully ensure that the data gathering exercises are statistically relevant and that provide data that truly represents the labour market situation.

Statistics are not numbers that just appear out of nowhere. Rather, statistics are a tool to help us answer research questions based on the numbers (data) generated out of our research. As such, an understanding of methodology will ensure our results are statistically relevant.

This primer covers four key areas of research:

1. Validity: How do we ensure our data are valid? 2. Types of studies: How do we design our studies? 3. Sampling: Who should we approach to gather our data? 4. Questioning: How do we gather data?

a. Questioning guidelines b. Focus Groups – one way to question c. Interviews – another way to question d. Surveys – yet another

1‐ValidityA key concept relevant to a discussion of research methodology is that of validity. When an individual asks, "Is this study valid?", they are questioning the validity of at least one aspect of the study. There are four types of validity that can be discussed in relation to research and statistics. We cover each in a cursory manner to identify the concept and provide examples of how a study may be invalidated. A problem in any of the four areas below may invalidate a study.

Statistical Conclusion Validity: Unfortunately, without a background in basic statistics, this type of validity is difficult to understand. Essentially, the question that is being asked is - "Are the variables under study related?" or "Is variable A correlated (does it covary) with Variable B?". If a study has good statistical conclusion validity, we should be relatively certain that the answer to these questions is "yes". Examples of issues or problems that would threaten statistical conclusion validity would be randomness of the research subjects (the subjects represent a diverse group - this increases statistical error) and small sample size (more difficult to find meaningful relationships with a small number of subjects). This is one of the main validity concerns of an LMI study.

Internal Validity: Once it has been determined that the two variables (A & B) are related, the next issue to be determined is one of causality. Does A cause B? If a study is lacking internal validity, one can not make cause and effect statements based on the research; the study would


be descriptive but not causal. Since LMI data sought is usually secondary to that gathered, it is important to ensure that there is cause and effect relationship between them. When choosing data to gather ensure that it indeed causal to the data to be examined (eg/ to what extent does employment truly vary with industry output?)

Construct Validity: One is examining the issue of construct validity when one is asking the questions "Am I really measuring the issue that I want to study? Or is my study confounded (Am I confusing issue)?" This validity measurement is less of a concern since the methodology guide outlines the issues to be examined as part of an LMI study. By following the guide the construct validity of the study is addressed.

External Validity: External validity addresses the issue of being able to generalize the results of your study to other times, places, and persons. This becomes an issue for LMI studies when data are used to project labour supply or demand into the future. For example, if you determine that for every $XXm of industrial output there are YY jobs, and in 5 years output will be increased by 10%, will there be 10% more jobs in that timeframe? Issues of productivity, taxation, and inflation can impact the accuracy of your projections. Therefore, one needs to ask the following questions to determine if a threat to the external validity exists: "Would I find these same results with a different sample, if I had conducted this study in the past or if I redo this study in the future?" If I cannot answer "yes" to each of these questions, then the external validity of my study is threatened.

2‐TypesofResearchStudiesThere are four major classifications of research designs. These include observational research, correlational research, true experiments, and quasi-experiments. Each of these will be discussed further below.

Observational research: There are many types of studies which could be defined as observational research including case studies, ethnographic studies, ethological studies, etc. The primary characteristic of each of these types of studies is that phenomena are being observed and recorded. Often times, the studies are qualitative in nature. For example, a psychological case study would entail extensive notes based on observations of and interviews with the client. A detailed report with analysis would be written and reported constituting the study of this individual case. These studies may also be qualitative in nature or include qualitative components in the research. For example, an ethological study of primate behavior in the wild may include measures of behavior durations ie. the amount of time an animal engaged in a specified behavior. This measure of time would be qualitative.

Surveys are often classified as a type of observational research and are a key part of LMI studies.

Correlational research: In general, correlational research examines the covariation of two or more variables. For example, the early research on cigarette smoking examines the covariation


of cigarette smoking and a variety of lung diseases. These two variable, smoking and lung disease were found to covary together.

Correlational research can be accomplished by a variety of techniques which include the collection of empirical data. Often times, correlational research is considered type of observational research as nothing is manipulated by the experimenter or individual conducting the research. For example, the early studies on cigarette smoking did not manipulate how many cigarettes were smoked. The researcher only collected the data on the two variables. Nothing was controlled by the researchers.

It is important to note that correlational research is not causal research. In other words, we cannot make statements concerning cause and effect on the basis of this type of research. There are two major reasons why we cannot make cause and effect statements. First, we don¹t know the direction of the cause. Second, a third variable may be involved of which we are not aware. Correlational research is often conducted as exploratory or beginning research. Employment coefficients are often determined through Correlational research.

True Experiments: The true experiment is often thought of as a laboratory study. However, this is not always the case. A true experiment is defined as an experiment conducted where an effort is made to impose control over all other variables except the one under study. It is often easier to impose this sort of control in a laboratory setting. Given the difficulty of imposing control on the variables at play in an LMI study, they rarely involve true experiments.

Quasi-Experiments: Quasi-experiments are very similar to true experiments but use naturally formed or pre-existing groups. If we were to conduct a quasi-experiment, we would find that the older group had less lung capacity as compared to the younger group. We might conclude that old age thus results in less lung capacity. But other variables might also account for this result. It might be that repeated exposure to pollutants as opposed to age has caused the difference in lung capacity. It could also be a generational factor. Perhaps more of the older group smoked in their early years as compared to the younger group due to increased awareness of the hazards of cigarettes. The point is that there are many differences between the groups that we cannot control that could account for differences in our dependent measures. Thus, we must be careful concerning making statement of causality with quasi-experimental designs. As no random assignment exists in a quasi-experiment, no causal statements can be made based on the results of the study.

3‐PopulationsandSamplesWhen conducting research, one must often use a sample of the population as opposed to using the entire population. Before we go further into the reasons why, let us first discuss what differentiates between a population and a sample.


A population can be defined as any set of persons/subjects having a common observable characteristic. For example, all individuals who reside in the CARICOM make up a population and so do the residents of St Kitts and Nevis. Also, all pregnant women make up a population. The characteristics of a population are called a parameter. A statistic can be defined as any subset of the population. The characteristics of a sample are called a statistic.

Why Sample?

This brings us to the question of why sample. Why should we not use the population as the focus of study. There are at least four major reasons to sample.

First, it is usually too costly to test the entire population. The United States government spends millions of dollars to conduct the U.S. Census every ten years. While the U.S. government may have that kind of money, most CARICOM or TVET researchers do not.

The second reason to sample is that it may be impossible to test the entire population. For example, let us say that we wanted to test certain levels in depressed individuals. There are far too many individuals who do not make it into the mental health system to even be identified as depressed, let alone to test them.

The third reason to sample is that testing the entire population often produces error. Thus, sampling may be more accurate. Perhaps an example will help clarify this point. Say researchers wanted to examine the effectiveness of a new drug on Alzheimer's disease. One dependent variable that could be used is an Activities of Daily Living Checklist. In other words, it is a measure of functioning on a day to day basis. In this experiment, it would make sense to have as few of people rating the patients as possible. If one individual rates the entire sample, there will be some measure of consistency from one patient to the next. If many raters are used, this introduces a source of error. These raters may all use a slightly different criteria for judging Activities of Daily Living. Thus, as in this example, it would be problematic to study an entire population.

The final reason to sample is that testing may be destructive. You probably would not want to buy a car that had the door slammed five hundred thousand time or had been crash tested. Rather, you probably would want to purchase the car that did not make it into either of those samples.

Types of Sampling Procedures

As stated above, a sample consists of a subset of the population. Any member of the defined population can be included in a sample. A theoretical list (an actual list may not exist) of individuals or elements who make up a population is called a sampling frame. There are five major sampling procedures.


The first sampling procedure is convenience. Volunteers, members of a class, individuals in the hospital with the specific diagnosis being studied are examples of often used convenience samples. This is by far the most often used sample procedure. It is also by far the most biased sampling procedure as it is not random (not everyone in the population has an equal chance of being selected to participate in the study). Thus, individuals who volunteer to participate in an exercise study may be different that individuals who do not volunteer.

Another form of sampling is the simple random sample. In this method, all subject or elements have an equal probability of being selected. There are two major ways of conducting a random sample. The first is to consult a random number table, and the second is to have the computer select a random sample.

A systematic sample is conducted by randomly selecting a first case on a list of the population and then proceeding every Nth case until your sample is selected. This is particularly useful if your list of the population is long. For example, if your list was the phone book, it would be easiest to start at perhaps the 17th person, and then select every 50th person from that point on.

Stratified sampling makes up the fourth sampling strategy. In a stratified sample, we sample either proportionately or equally to represent various strata or subpopulations. For example if our strata were states we would make sure and sample from each of the fifty states. If our strata were religious affiliation, stratified sampling would ensure sampling from every religious block or grouping. If our strata were gender, we would sample both men and women.

Cluster sampling makes up the final sampling procedure. In cluster sampling we take a random sample of strata and then survey every member of the group. For example, if our strata were individuals schools in the St. Louis Public School System, we would randomly select perhaps 20 schools and then test all of the students within those schools.

Sampling Problems

There are several potential sampling problems. When designing a study, a sampling procedure is also developed including the potential sampling frame. Several problems may exist within the sampling frame. First, there may be missing elements - individuals who should be on your list but for some reason are not on the list. For example, if my population consists of all individuals living in a particular city and I use the phone directory as my sampling frame or list, I will miss individuals with unlisted numbers or who cannot afford a phone.

Foreign elements make up my second sampling problem. Elements which should not be included in my population and sample appear on my sampling list. Thus, if I were to use property records to create my list of individuals living within a particular city, landlords who live elsewhere would be foreign elements. In this case, renters would be missing elements.


Duplicates represent the third sampling problem. These are elements who appear more than once on the sampling frame. For example, if I am a researcher studying patient satisfaction with emergency room care, I may potentially include the same patient more than once in my study. If the patients are completing a patient satisfaction questionnaire, I need to make sure that patients are aware that if they have completed the questionnaire previously, they should not complete it again. If they complete it more than once, their second set of data represents a duplicate.

Freedom in choosing the samples in an LMI study is not always optimum. There may be restrictions on access or cooperation. The sample targeted may be isolated by corporate structures. Nonetheless, each study should be designed with these sampling issues in mind with a view to maximizing the quality of the study.

4–Questioning

There are many ways to gather the data needed for an LMI study but most of them involve asking questions. Below we have outlined some “best practices” of questioning. Following that, we’ve done the same for three methods of gathering data: focus groups, interviews, and surveys

I–BestPracticesofQuestioningConsider the types of Information Collected by Questions

Questions are geared to find out what people know, did, feel and think. 1. To find out what information they know, ask them to describe something, e.g., "Please describe ..." 2. To find out what they feel, ask them, e.g., "How do you feel about ...?" or "How did you feel when ...?" 3. To find out what they think, ask them for their opinion on something, e.g., "How could they be improved?" 4. To find out what they did, ask them to describe an activity they did.

Remember that there are two types of questions:

1. Open-ended: No options are provided for the respondent to answer the question. They must think of their own response and describe it in their own words. If respondents have and take the time to reflect on answers to the question, you can get more meaningful information than from closed questions. 2. Closed: The respondent is given a set of alternative choices from which he or she can choose to answer the question, i.e., "yes," "no," multiple choice, a rating, ranking, etc. Closed questions can usually be answered quickly, allowing you to get a get a lot of information quickly. However,


respondents may rush through the questions and not take enough time to think about their answers. Your choices may not include the answer they prefer.

How you configure your questions together, depends on whether they're used in questionnaires, interviews or focus groups.

Be Prepared

Before you start to design your questions, clearly articulate what problem or need is to be addressed using the information to be gathered by the questions. Review why you're doing the evaluation and what you hope to accomplish by it. This provides focus on what information you need and, ultimately, on what questions should be used.

Give Directions to Respondents

1. Include a brief explanation of the purpose of the questionnaire. 2. Include clear explanation of how to complete the questionnaire. 3. Include directions about where to provide the completed questionnaire. 4. Note conditions of confidentiality, e.g., who will have access to the information, if you're

going to attempt to keep their answers private and only accessed by yourself and/or someone who will collate answers. (Note that you not guarantee confidentiality about their answers. If a court sued to see answers, you would not likely be able to stop access to this information. However, you can assure that you will make every reasonable attempt to protect access to their answers. You should consider using an informed consent form, as well.

Consider the Content of Questions

1. Ask about what you need to know, i.e., get information in regard to the goals or ultimate questions you want to address by the evaluation.

2. Will the respondent be able to answer your question, i.e., do they know the answer? 3. Will respondents want to answer the question, i.e., is it too private or silly?

Consider the Wording of Questions

1. Will the respondent understand the wording, i.e., are you using any slang, cultural-specific or technical words?

2. Are any words so strong that they might influence the respondent to answer a certain way? Attempt to avoid use of strong adjectives with nouns in the questions, e.g., "highly effective government," "prompt and reliable," etc.

3. To ensure you're asking one question at a time, avoid use of the word "and" in your question.

4. Avoid using "not" in your questions if you're having respondents answer "yes" or "no" to a question. Use of "not" can lead to double negatives, and cause confusion.


5. If you use multiple choice questions, be sure your choices are mutually exclusive and encompass the total range of answers. Respondents should not be confused about whether two or more alternatives appear to mean the same thing. Respondents also should not have a clearly preferred answer that is not among the alternative choices of an answer to the question.

Consider the Order of Questions

1. Be careful not to include so many questions that potential respondents are dissuaded from responding.

2. Attempt to get recruit respondents' motivation to complete the questionnaire. Start with fact-based questions and then go on to opinion-based questions, e.g., ask people for demographic information about themselves and then go on to questions about their opinions and perspectives. This gets respondents engaged in the questionnaire and warmed up before more challenging and reflective questions about their opinions. (Consider if they can complete the questionnaire anonymously; if so, indicate this on the form where you ask for their name.)

3. Attempt to get respondents' commentary in addition to their ratings, e.g., if the questionnaire ask respondents to choose an answer by circling an answer or provide a rating, ask them to provide commentary that explains their choices.

4. Include a question to get respondents' impressions of the questionnaire itself. For example, ask them if the questionnaire was straightforward to complete ("yes" or "no), and if not, to provide suggestions about how to improve the questionnaire.

5. Pilot or test your questionnaire on a small group of clients or fellow staff. Ask them if the form and questions seemed straightforward. Carefully review the answers on the questionnaires. Does the information answer the evaluation questions or provide what you want to know about the program or its specific services? What else would you like to know?

6. Finalize the questionnaire. Finalize the questionnaire according to results of the pilot. Put a date on the form so you can keep track of all future versions

II–FocusGroups

Focus groups are a powerful means to evaluate services or test new ideas. Basically, focus groups are interviews, but of 6-10 people at the same time in the same group. One can get a great deal of information during a focus group session.

Preparing for the Session

1. Identify the major objective of the meeting. 2. Carefully develop five to six questions (see below). 3. Plan your session (see below).


4. Call potential members to invite them to the meeting. Send them a follow-up invitation with a proposed agenda, session time and list of questions the group will discuss. Plan to provide a copy of the report from the session to each member and let them know you will do this. 5. About three days before the session, call each member to remind them to attend.

Develop the Questions

1. Develop five to six questions - Session should last one to 1.5 hours -- in this time, one can ask at most five or six questions. 2. Always first ask yourself what problem or need will be addressed by the information gathered during the session, e.g., examine if a new service or idea will work, further understand how a program is failing, etc. 3. Focus groups are basically multiple interviews. Therefore, many of the same guidelines for conducting focus groups are similar to conducting interviews

Plan the Session

1. Scheduling - Plan meetings to be one to 1.5 hours long. Over lunch seems to be a very good time for other to find time to attend. 2. Setting and Refreshments - Hold sessions in a conference room, or other setting with adequate air flow and lighting. Configure chairs so that all members can see each other. Provide name tags for members, as well. Provide refreshments, especially box lunches if the session is held over lunch. 3. Ground Rules - It's critical that all members participate as much as possible, yet the session move along while generating useful information. Because the session is often a one-time occurrence, it's useful to have a few, short ground rules that sustain participation, yet do so with focus. Consider the following three ground rules: a) keep focused, b) maintain momentum and c) get closure on questions. 4. Agenda - Consider the following agenda: welcome, review of agenda, review of goal of the meeting, review of ground rules, introductions, questions and answers, wrap up. 5. Membership - Focus groups are usually conducted with 6-10 members who have some similar nature, e.g., similar age group, status in a program, etc. Select members who are likely to be participative and reflective. Attempt to select members who don't know each other. 6. Plan to record the session with either an audio or audio-video recorder. Don't count on your memory. If this isn't practical, involve a co-facilitator who is there to take notes.

Facilitate the Session

1. Major goal of facilitation is collecting useful information to meet goal of meeting. 2. Introduce yourself and the co-facilitator, if used. 3. Explain the means to record the session. 4. Carry out the agenda - (See "agenda" above). 5. Carefully word each question before that question is addressed by the group. Allow the group a few minutes for each member to carefully record their answers. Then, facilitate discussion around the answers to each question, one at a time. 6. After each question is answered, carefully reflect back a summary of what you heard (the note taker may do this).


7. Ensure even participation. If one or two people are dominating the meeting, then call on others. Consider using a round- table approach, including going in one direction around the table, giving each person a minute to answer the question. If the domination persists, note it to the group and ask for ideas about how the participation can be increased. 8. Closing the session - Tell members that they will receive a copy of the report generated from their answers, thank them for coming, and adjourn the meeting.

Follow up After the Session

1. Verify if the tape recorder, if used, worked throughout the session. 2. Make any notes on your written notes, e.g., to clarify any scratching, ensure pages are numbered, fill out any notes that don't make senses, eta. 3. Write down any observations made during the session. For example, where did the session occur and when, what was the nature of participation in the group? Were there any surprises during the session? Did the tape recorder break?

III‐Interviews:Interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind a participant's experiences. The interviewer can pursue in-depth information around a topic. Interviews may be useful as follow-up to certain respondents to questionnaires, e.g., to further investigate their responses. Usually open-ended questions are asked during interviews.

Before you start to design your interview questions and process, clearly articulate to yourself what problem or need is to be addressed using the information to be gathered by the interviews. This helps you keep clear focus on the intent of each question.

Prepare for the Interview

1. Choose a setting with little distraction. Avoid loud lights or noises, ensure the interviewee is comfortable (you might ask them if they are), etc. Often, they may feel more comfortable at their own places of work or homes.

2. Explain the purpose of the interview. 3. Address terms of confidentiality. Note any terms of confidentiality. (Be careful here.

Rarely can you absolutely promise anything. Courts may get access to information, in certain circumstances.) Explain who will get access to their answers and how their answers will be analyzed. If their comments are to be used as quotes, get their written permission to do so.

4. Explain the format of the interview. Explain the type of interview you are conducting and its nature. If you want them to ask questions, specify if they're to do so as they have them or wait until the end of the interview.

5. Indicate how long the interview usually takes. 6. Tell them how to get in touch with you later if they want to. 7. Ask them if they have any questions before you both get started with the interview.


8. Don't count on your memory to recall their answers. Ask for permission to record the interview or bring along someone to take notes.

Choose the Type of Interview

1. Informal, conversational interview - no predetermined questions are asked, in order to remain as open and adaptable as possible to the interviewee's nature and priorities; during the interview, the interviewer "goes with the flow".

2. General interview guide approach - the guide approach is intended to ensure that the same general areas of information are collected from each interviewee; this provides more focus than the conversational approach, but still allows a degree of freedom and adaptability in getting information from the interviewee.

3. Standardized, open-ended interview - here, the same open-ended questions are asked to all interviewees (an open-ended question is where respondents are free to choose how to answer the question, i.e., they don't select "yes" or "no" or provide a numeric rating, etc.); this approach facilitates faster interviews that can be more easily analyzed and compared.

4. Closed, fixed-response interview - where all interviewees are asked the same questions and asked to choose answers from among the same set of alternatives. This format is useful for those not practiced in interviewing.

Choose the Types of Questions

Patton notes six kinds of questions. One can ask questions about:

1. Behaviors -about what a person has done or is doing 2. Opinions/values -about what a person thinks about a topic 3. Feelings -note that respondents sometimes respond with "I think ..." so be careful to note

that you're looking for feelings 4. Knowledge -to get facts about a topic 5. Sensory -about what people have seen, touched, heard, tasted or smelled 6. Background/demographics -standard background questions, such as age, education,

etc.

Note that the above questions can be asked in terms of past, present or future.

Choose the Sequence of Questions

1. Get the respondents involved in the interview as soon as possible. 2. Before asking about controversial matters (such as feelings and conclusions), first ask

about some facts. With this approach, respondents can more easily engage in the interview before warming up to more personal matters.

3. Intersperse fact-based questions throughout the interview to avoid long lists of fact-based questions, which tends to leave respondents disengaged.


4. Ask questions about the present before questions about the past or future. It's usually easier for them to talk about the present and then work into the past or future.

5. The last questions might be to allow respondents to provide any other information they prefer to add and their impressions of the interview.

Word the Questions

1. Wording should be open-ended. Respondents should be able to choose their own terms when answering questions.

2. Questions should be as neutral as possible. Avoid wording that might influence answers, e.g., evocative, judgmental wording.

3. Questions should be asked one at a time. 4. Questions should be worded clearly. This includes knowing any terms particular to the

program or the respondents' culture. 5. Be careful asking "why" questions. This type of question infers a cause-effect

relationship that may not truly exist. These questions may also cause respondents to feel defensive, e.g., that they have to justify their response, which may inhibit their responses to this and future questions.

Conduct the Interview

1. Occasionally verify the tape recorder (if used) is working. 2. Ask one question at a time. 3. Attempt to remain as neutral as possible. That is, don't show strong emotional reactions

to their responses. Patton suggests to act as if "you've heard it all before." 4. Encourage responses with occasional nods of the head, "uh huh"s, etc. 5. Be careful about the appearance when note taking. That is, if you jump to take a note, it

may appear as if you're surprised or very pleased about an answer, which may influence answers to future questions.

6. Provide transition between major topics, e.g., "we've been talking about (some topic) and now I'd like to move on to (another topic)."

7. Don't lose control of the interview. This can occur when respondents stray to another topic, take so long to answer a question that times begins to run out, or even begin asking questions to the interviewer.

Follow up After the Interview

1. Verify if the tape recorder, if used, worked throughout the interview. 2. Make any notes on your written notes,e.g., to clarify any scratchings, ensure pages are

numbered, fill out any notes that don't make senses, etc. 3. Write down any observations made during the interview. For example, where did the

interview occur and when, was the respondent particularly nervous at any time? Were there any surprises during the interview? Did the tape recorder break?


IV‐QuestionnairesQuestionnaires are very cost effective when compared to face-to-face interviews. This is especially true for studies involving large sample sizes and large geographic areas. Written questionnaires become even more cost effective as the number of research questions increases. There are a number of reasons to favour questionnaires:

1. Questionnaires are easy to analyze. Data entry and tabulation for nearly all surveys can be easily done with many computer software packages.

2. Questionnaires are familiar to most people. Nearly everyone has had some experience completing questionnaires and they generally do not make people apprehensive.

3. Questionnaires reduce bias. There is uniform question presentation and no middle-man bias. The researcher's own opinions will not influence the respondent to answer questions in a certain manner. There are no verbal or visual clues to influence the respondent.

4. Questionnaires are less intrusive than telephone or face-to-face surveys. When a respondent receives a questionnaire in the mail, he is free to complete the questionnaire on his own time-table. Unlike other research methods, the respondent is not interrupted by the research instrument.

There are also disadvantages to using questionnaires:

1. One major disadvantage of written questionnaires is the possibility of low response rates. Low response is the curse of statistical analysis. It can dramatically lower our confidence in the results. Response rates vary widely from one questionnaire to another (10% - 90%), however, well-designed studies consistently produce high response rates.

2. Another disadvantage of questionnaires is the inability to probe responses. Questionnaires are structured instruments. They allow little flexibility to the respondent with respect to response format. In essence, they often lose the "flavor of the response" (i.e., respondents often want to qualify their answers). By allowing frequent space for comments, the researcher can partially overcome this disadvantage. Comments are among the most helpful of all the information on the questionnaire, and they usually provide insightful information that would have otherwise been lost.

3. Lack of personal contact. Nearly ninety percent of all communication is visual. Gestures and other visual cues are not available with written questionnaires. The lack of personal contact will have different effects depending on the type of information being requested. A questionnaire requesting factual information will probably not be affected by the lack of personal contact. A questionnaire probing sensitive issues or attitudes may be severely affected.

4. Sampling uncertainty. It's natural to assume that the respondent is the same person you sent the questionnaire to but this may not actually be the case. Many times business questionnaires get handed to other employees for completion. Housewives sometimes respond for their husbands. Kids respond as a prank. For a variety of reasons, the


respondent may not be who you think it is. It is a confounding error inherent in questionnaires.

5. Finally, questionnaires are simply not suited for some people. For example, a written survey to a group of poorly educated people might not work because of reading skill problems. More frequently, people are turned off by written questionnaires because of misuse.

Questionnaire Design - Planning

Most problems with questionnaire analysis can be traced back to the design phase of the project. Well-defined goals are the best way to assure a good questionnaire design. When the goals of a study can be expressed in a few clear and concise sentences, the design of the questionnaire becomes considerably easier. The questionnaire is developed to directly address the goals of the study.

One of the best ways to clarify your study goals is to decide how you intend to use the information. Do this before you begin designing the study. This sounds obvious, but many researchers neglect this task. Why do research if the results will not be used?

Be sure to commit the study goals to writing. Whenever you are unsure of a question, refer to the study goals and a solution will become clear. Ask only questions that directly address the study goals. Avoid the temptation to ask questions because it would be "interesting to know".

Formulate a plan for doing the statistical analysis during the design stage of the project. Know how every question will be analyzed and be prepared to handle missing data. If you cannot specify how you intend to analyze a question or use the information, do not use it in the survey.

If your survey is over a few pages, try to eliminate questions. Many people have difficulty knowing which questions could be eliminated. For the elimination round, read each question and ask, "How am I going to use this information?" If the information will be used in a decision-making process, then keep the question... it's important. If not, throw it out.

Provide incentives as a motivation for a properly completed questionnaire. What does the respondent get for completing your questionnaire? Altruism is rarely an effective motivator. Attaching a dollar bill to the questionnaire works well. If the information you are collecting is of interest to the respondent, offering a free summary report is also an excellent motivator. Whatever you choose, it must make the respondent want to complete the questionnaire.

Questionnaire Design - Layout

As a general rule, with only a few exceptions, long questionnaires get less response than short questionnaires. Keep your questionnaire short. In fact, the shorter the better. Response rate is the single most important indicator of how much confidence you can place in the results. A low response rate can be devastating to a study. Therefore, you


must do everything possible to maximize the response rate. One of the most effective methods of maximizing response is to shorten the questionnaire.

Provide a well-written cover letter. The respondent's next impression comes from the cover letter. The importance of the cover letter should not be underestimated. It provides your best chance to persuade the respondent to complete the survey.

Give your questionnaire a title that is short and meaningful to the respondent. A questionnaire with a title is generally perceived to be more credible than one without.

Include clear and concise instructions on how to complete the questionnaire. These must be very easy to understand, so use short sentences and basic vocabulary. Be sure to print the return address on the questionnaire itself (since questionnaires often get separated from the reply envelopes).

Begin with a few non-threatening and interesting items. If the first items are too threatening or "boring", there is little chance that the person will complete the questionnaire. People generally look at the first few questions before deciding whether or not to complete the questionnaire. Make them want to continue by putting interesting questions first.

Use simple and direct language. The questions must be clearly understood by the respondent. The wording of a question should be simple and to the point. Do not use uncommon words or long sentences. Make items as brief as possible. This will reduce misunderstandings and make the questionnaire appear easier to complete. One way to eliminate misunderstandings is to emphasize crucial words in each item by using bold, italics or underlining.

Leave adequate space for respondents to make comments. One criticism of questionnaires is their inability to retain the "flavor" of a response. Leaving space for comments will provide valuable information not captured by the response categories. Leaving white space also makes the questionnaire look easier and this increases response.

Place the most important items in the first half of the questionnaire. Respondents often send back partially completed questionnaires. By putting the most important items near the beginning, the partially completed questionnaires will still contain important information.

Hold the respondent's interest. We want the respondent to complete our questionnaire. One way to keep a questionnaire interesting is to provide variety in the type of items used. Varying the questioning format will also prevent respondents from falling into "response sets". At the same time, it is important to group items into coherent categories. All items should flow smoothly from one to the next.

Questionnaire Design - Testing

The final test of a questionnaire is to try it on representatives of the target audience. If there are problems with the questionnaire, they almost always show up here. If possible, be present while a respondent is completing the questionnaire and tell her that it is okay


to ask you for clarification of any item. The questions she asks are indicative of problems in the questionnaire

One important way to assure a successful survey is to include other experts and relevant decision-makers in the questionnaire design process. Their suggestions will improve the questionnaire and they will subsequently have more confidence in the results.


Annex 2 – Draft Survey Sample for a sector focused data

With thanks to the Council for TVET and the Statistics Division of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security from the Guyana mining survey who provided an excellent starting point for all of us.

Your Logo here Partners Logo Here Industry Logo

SKILLS NEEDS SURVEY 2XXX

XXXXXXX Sector

Section 1 : ORGANIZATIONAL PARTICULARS

1. Please complete this basic information on your organization

Name of organization……………………………………………………………………(Optional)

Address………………………………………………………………………………………….…….

Telephone #................................. Fax#........................................................................

E- Mail Address …………………………….. Website Address………………………

Region / Country / Parish Of Operation……………………………………..(Required Information)

2. Name of contact person …………………………………………………………………………….

3. Position of contact person in the organization …………………………………………. 4. Which of the following best describes this organization ( Please Tick )

(a) Sole Proprietorship ( ) (b) Partnership ( )

(c ) Private Limited Company ( ) (d) Public Limited Company ( )

5. Nature of ownership (a) Fully Locally Owned ( ) (b) Local and Foreign Owned ( )

(c ) Fully Foreign Owned

6. How long has this organization been in operation? Between 1-3 Yrs ( ) Between 4-6 Yrs ( ) Between 7-9 Yrs ( )


Between 10-13 Yrs ( ) Between 14-16 Yrs ( ) Above 16 Yrs ( )

7. Please state the key activities of the organization (Example, Solar installation/ sand extraction / vegetable growing /

……………………………………………………………….. ISIC code ……………………….. See Table 1 .

SECTION 2 : EMPLOYMENT PROFILE

Number of Employees…………………

8. Occupations of Existing employees (Other Occupations Please Specify). Category of Worker ISO

CodeSee table 2

Total Number

QualificationCode

Experience Code

Gender Salary code

Managerial/Professional Managing Director/CEO Operational Manager Production Manager Environmental Manager Research Manager Etc. Applicable to sector defined during survey.

Technical/Professional Mining Engineer Geologist Financial Accountant Mng. Accountant Env/ment Health Officer Systems Manager Geologist Systems Analyst Programmer Electrical Engineer Electronics Engineer ( Engineers. solar Power, wind power water power Agronomist Applicable to sector

Technical Skills Auto Mechanic General Mechanic


Diesel Motor Mechanic Electrician(General) Electrical systems Technician Surveyor Draughtsman Computer Operator Cooks Carpentry Plumbing HVAC Solar power Applicable to sector Administrative/Clerical Office Administrator Accounts Clerk Payroll Clerk Purchasing Clerk Storekeeper Administrative Specialists Program review Applicable to sector study

Machinery Operators and Drivers Stone Processing Machinery Operator Crane, Hoist or Lift Operator Boat Hoist operator Power Shovel operators Agriculture Equipment operators Trenching Equipment operators Applicable to sector study

Manual/ Low skilled Earth Moving Worker


Mining Support Worker Handyman Agriculture workers Cleaning Staff Security staff Applicable to sector study

9. Section 3: Skill Needs Profile . (Other Occupational Skills needed Please Specify ).

Category of Worker ISO Code

Total Qualification Code

Experience Code

Salary Code

Managerial/Professional Managing Director/CEO Operational Manager Production Manager Environmental Manager Research Manager Etc. Security Manager Applicable to sector defined during survey

Technical/Professional Technical/Professional Mining Engineer Geologist Financial Accountant Accountants Env/ment Health Officer Systems Manager Geologist


Systems Analyst Programmer Electrical Engineer Electronics Engineer ( Engineers. solar Power, wind power water power Agronomist Applicable to sector Technical Skills Auto Mechanic General Mechanic Diesel Motor Mechanic Electrician(General) Electrical systems Technician Surveyor Draughtsman Computer Operator Cooks Carpentry Plumbing HVAC Solar power Applicable to sector

Administrative/Clerical Office Administrator Accounts Clerk Payroll Clerk Purchasing Clerk Storekeeper Administrative Specialists Program Review Clerks Applicable to sector study

Machinery Operators and Drivers Stone Processing Machinery Operator Crane, Hoist or Lift Operator


Boat Hoist operator Power Shovel operators Agriculture Equipment operators Trenching Equipment operators Applicable to sector study Manual/ low skilled Earth Moving Worker Mining Support Worker Handyman Agriculture workers Site preparation staff Cleaning staff Security Staff Applicable to sector study

Basic Qualification coded

University ( Tertiary) - 1 Diploma (Technical ) - 2 Secondary -3

Primary -4 Other -5

Experience working in the industry coded.

1 year -1 2-4 yrs - 2 5-9 yrs -3 10-14 yrs – 4 and Over 15 yrs- 5.

Salary Codes (yearly or monthly or weekly )

Up to xx,000.00 -1 From $xx,000.00 to $xx,000.00 -2

From $xx,000.00 to $xx,000.00 -3 From $xx,000.00 to $xxx,000.00 -4

Over $xxx,000.00 -5


Section 4 : Other Related Issues

10.Which areas of change are expected in your company the next 1 –X years.

Capital/ Infrastructure Expansion ( )

New Development / Concessions ( )

Major Government Investment

Expansion/Extension ( )

Recruitment ( )

Retrenchment of business ( )

Training/retraining of Existing staff ( )

Others, please specify:……………………………………………………

11. What do you envisage are going to be the three most critical skills needs of your organization ?

a)………………………………………………………………………………………………………

b)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

c)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

12. What steps have you been taking to secure critical skills in your organization

a) ………………………………………. ……………………………………….. b) ……………………………………… ………………………………………..

13. Please indicate the occupations with the highest turnover in your organization ?

a) ………………………………………………

b) ………………………………………………

c)……………………………………………………

d ) ……………………………………………………


14. Other Comments on skills shortage and skills needs in your organization.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

15. Please rate the lacking of appropriate essential skills in order of priority. (1-4)

a) Reading ______

b) Writing ______

c) Math ______

d) Computer literacy ______

Thank you for completing this questionnaire on skills needs for your sector.


Annex 3 – ISCO 08 Occupational codes

ISCO-08 Title EN ISCO

08 Code

Legislators 1111 Senior government officials 1112 Traditional chiefs and heads of villages 1113 Senior officials of special-interest organizations

1114

Managing directors and chief executives 1120 Finance managers 1211 Finance managers 1211 Human resource managers 1212 Human resource managers 1212 Policy and planning managers 1213 Policy and planning managers 1213 Business services and administration managers not elsewhere classified

1219

Sales and marketing managers 1221 Sales and marketing managers 1221 Advertising and public relations managers 1222 Research and development managers 1223 Research and development managers 1223 Agricultural and forestry production managers

1311

Aquaculture and fisheries production managers

1312

Manufacturing managers 1321 Manufacturing managers 1321 Mining managers 1322 Mining managers 1322 Construction managers 1323 Construction managers 1323 Supply, distribution and related managers 1324 Supply, distribution and related managers 1324 Supply, distribution and related managers 1324 Information and communications technology service managers

1330

Information and communications technology service managers

1330


1330


1330

Child care services managers 1341 Child care services managers 1341

Health services managers 1342 Health services managers 1342 Health services managers 1342 Aged care services managers 1343 Aged care services managers 1343 Aged care services managers 1343 Social welfare managers 1344 Social welfare managers 1344 Education managers 1345 Education managers 1345 Financial and insurance services branch managers

1346

Financial and insurance services branch managers

1346

Professional services managers not elsewhere classified

1349

Professional services managers not elsewhere classified

1349

Hotel managers 1411 Hotel managers 1411 Restaurant managers 1412 Restaurant managers 1412 Retail and wholesale trade managers 1420 Retail and wholesale trade managers 1420 Sports, recreation and cultural centre managers

1431

Services managers not elsewhere classified

1439

Services managers not elsewhere classified

1439

Physicists and astronomers 2111 Meteorologists 2112 Chemists 2113 Geologists and geophysicists 2114 Mathematicians, actuaries and statisticians 2120 Mathematicians, actuaries and statisticians 2120 Biologists, botanists, zoologists and related professionals

2131

Biologists, botanists, zoologists and related professionals

2131

Farming, forestry and fisheries advisers 2132 Farming, forestry and fisheries advisers 2132 Environmental protection professionals 2133 Industrial and production engineers 2141 Civil engineers 2142


Environmental engineers 2143 Mechanical engineers 2144 Chemical engineers 2145 Mining engineers, metallurgists and related professionals

2146

Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified

2149

Electrical engineers 2151 Electronics engineers 2152 Telecommunications engineers 2153 Building architects 2161 Landscape architects 2162 Product and garment designers 2163 Town and traffic planners 2164 Cartographers and surveyors 2165 Graphic and multimedia designers 2166 Generalist medical practitioners 2211 Specialist medical practitioners 2212 Specialist medical practitioners 2212 Nursing professionals 2221 Midwifery professionals 2222 Traditional and complementary medicine professionals

2230

Traditional and complementary medicine professionals

2230

Paramedical practitioners 2240 Veterinarians 2250 Veterinarians 2250 Dentists 2261 Pharmacists 2262 Pharmacists 2262 Environmental and occupational health and hygiene professionals

2263

Environmental and occupational health and hygiene professionals

2263


2263


2263

Physiotherapists 2264 Dieticians and nutritionists 2265 Audiologists and speech therapists 2266 Optometrists and ophthalmic opticians 2267 Optometrists and ophthalmic opticians 2267 Health professionals not elsewhere classified

2269

Health professionals not elsewhere classified

2269

Health professionals not elsewhere classified

2269

University and higher education teachers 2310

Vocational education teachers 2320 Vocational education teachers 2320 Secondary education teachers 2330 Primary school teachers 2341 Primary school teachers 2341 Early childhood educators 2342 Early childhood educators 2342 Education methods specialists 2351 Education methods specialists 2351 Special needs teachers 2352 Special needs teachers 2352 Other language teachers 2353 Other language teachers 2353 Other music teachers 2354 Other arts teachers 2355 Other arts teachers 2355 Information technology trainers 2356 Information technology trainers 2356 Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified

2359

Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified

2359

Accountants 2411 Financial and investment advisers 2412 Financial and investment advisers 2412 Financial and investment advisers 2412 Financial analysts 2413 Management and organization analysts 2421 Policy administration professionals 2422 Personnel and careers professionals 2423 Training and staff development professionals

2424

Advertising and marketing professionals 2431 Advertising and marketing professionals 2431 Public relations professionals 2432 Public relations professionals 2432 Technical and medical sales professionals (excluding ICT)

2433

Information and communications technology sales professionals

2434

Systems analysts 2511 Software developers 2512 Web and multimedia developers 2513 Web and multimedia developers 2513 Web and multimedia developers 2513 Applications programmers 2514 Software and applications developers and analysts not elsewhere classified

2519

Software and applications developers and analysts not elsewhere classified

2519


Software and applications developers and analysts not elsewhere classified

2519

Database designers and administrators 2521 Systems administrators 2522 Computer network professionals 2523 Database and network professionals not elsewhere classified

2529

Lawyers 2611 Judges 2612 Legal professionals not elsewhere classified

2619

Archivists and curators 2621 Librarians and related information professionals

2622

Economists 2631 Sociologists, anthropologists and related professionals

2632

Philosophers, historians and political scientists

2633

Psychologists 2634 Social work and counselling professionals 2635 Religious professionals 2636 Authors and related writers 2641 Journalists 2642 Journalists 2642 Translators, interpreters and other linguists

2643

Visual artists 2651 Musicians, singers and composers 2652 Musicians, singers and composers 2652 Dancers and choreographers 2653 Dancers and choreographers 2653 Film, stage and related directors and producers

2654

Film, stage and related directors and producers

2654

Actors 2655 Announcers on radio, television and other media

2656

Creative and performing artists not elsewhere classified

2659

Chemical and physical science technicians 3111 Civil engineering technicians 3112 Civil engineering technicians 3112 Electrical engineering technicians 3113 Electrical engineering technicians 3113 Electronics engineering technicians 3114 Electronics engineering technicians 3114 Mechanical engineering technicians 3115 Mechanical engineering technicians 3115 Chemical engineering technicians 3116

Mining and metallurgical technicians 3117 Mining and metallurgical technicians 3117 Draughtspersons 3118 Physical and engineering science technicians not elsewhere classified

3119

Mining supervisors 3121 Mining supervisors 3121 Manufacturing supervisors 3122 Construction supervisors 3123 Construction supervisors 3123 Power production plant operators 3131 Incinerator and water treatment plant operators

3132

Chemical processing plant controllers 3133 Chemical processing plant controllers 3133 Chemical processing plant controllers 3133 Chemical processing plant controllers 3133 Petroleum and natural gas refining plant operators

3134

Metal production process controllers 3135 Metal production process controllers 3135 Metal production process controllers 3135 Metal production process controllers 3135 Process control technicians not elsewhere classified

3139

Process control technicians not elsewhere classified

3139


3139


3139


3139

Life science technicians (excluding medical)

3141

Agricultural technicians 3142 Forestry technicians 3143 Ships' engineers 3151 Ships' deck officers and pilots 3152 Aircraft pilots and related associate professionals

3153

Aircraft pilots and related associate professionals

3153

Air traffic controllers 3154 Air traffic safety electronics technicians 3155 Medical imaging and therapeutic equipment technicians

3211

Medical and pathology laboratory technicians

3212

Pharmaceutical technicians and assistants 3213 Medical and dental prosthetic technicians 3214


Nursing associate professionals 3221 Nursing associate professionals 3221 Midwifery associate professionals 3222 Midwifery associate professionals 3222 Traditional and complementary medicine associate professionals

3230

Veterinary technicians and assistants 3240 Dental assistants and therapists 3251 Medical records and health information technicians

3252

Community health workers 3253 Dispensing opticians 3254 Physiotherapy technicians and assistants 3255 Medical assistants 3256 Environmental and occupational health inspectors and associates

3257

Environmental and occupational health inspectors and associates

3257

Ambulance workers 3258 Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified

3259

Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified

3259

Securities and finance dealers and brokers 3311 Credit and loans officers 3312 Accounting associate professionals 3313 Accounting associate professionals 3313 Statistical, mathematical and related associate professionals

3314

Valuers and loss assessors 3315 Insurance representatives 3321 Commercial sales representatives 3322 Buyers 3323 Trade brokers 3324 Clearing and forwarding agents 3331 Conference and event planners 3332 Employment agents and contractors 3333 Real estate agents and property managers 3334 Business services agents not elsewhere classified

3339

Business services agents not elsewhere classified

3339

Business services agents not elsewhere classified

3339

Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341

Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Office supervisors 3341 Legal secretaries 3342 Legal secretaries 3342 Administrative and executive secretaries 3343 Administrative and executive secretaries 3343 Medical secretaries 3344 Medical secretaries 3344 Customs and border inspectors 3351 Government tax and excise officials 3352 Government social benefits officials 3353 Government licensing officials 3354 Police inspectors and detectives 3355 Regulatory government associate professionals not elsewhere classified

3359

Regulatory government associate professionals not elsewhere classified

3359

Regulatory government associate professionals not elsewhere classified

3359

Legal and related associate professionals 3411 Legal and related associate professionals 3411 Social work associate professionals 3412 Religious associate professionals 3413 Religious associate professionals 3413 Athletes and sports players 3421 Sports coaches, instructors and officials 3422 Fitness and recreation instructors and program leaders

3423

Fitness and recreation instructors and program leaders

3423

Photographers 3431 Interior designers and decorators 3432 Gallery, museum and library technicians 3433

Gallery, museum and library technicians 3433 Chefs 3434 Other artistic and cultural associate professionals

3435

Other artistic and cultural associate professionals

3435

Other artistic and cultural associate professionals

3435

Information and communications 3511


technology operations technicians Information and communications technology user support technicians

3512

Computer network and systems technicians

3513

Web technicians 3514 Web technicians 3514 Broadcasting and audio-visual technicians 3521 Broadcasting and audio-visual technicians 3521 Telecommunications engineering technicians

3522

Telecommunications engineering technicians

3522

General office clerks 4110 Secretaries (general) 4120 Typists and word processing operators 4131 Typists and word processing operators 4131 Data entry clerks 4132 Data entry clerks 4132 Bank tellers and related clerks 4211 Bank tellers and related clerks 4211 Bookmakers, croupiers and related gaming workers

4212

Bookmakers, croupiers and related gaming workers

4212

Pawnbrokers and money-lenders 4213 Debt-collectors and related workers 4214 Travel consultants and clerks 4221 Travel consultants and clerks 4221 Contact centre information clerks 4222 Telephone switchboard operators 4223 Hotel receptionists 4224 Enquiry clerks 4225 Receptionists (general) 4226 Survey and market research interviewers 4227 Client information workers not elsewhere classified

4229

Accounting and bookkeeping clerks 4311 Statistical, finance and insurance clerks 4312 Payroll clerks 4313 Stock clerks 4321 Production clerks 4322 Transport clerks 4323 Library clerks 4411 Mail carriers and sorting clerks 4412 Coding, proof-reading and related clerks 4413 Scribes and related workers 4414 Filing and copying clerks 4415 Personnel clerks 4416 Clerical support workers not elsewhere 4419

classified Travel attendants and travel stewards 5111 Transport conductors 5112 Travel guides 5113 Cooks 5120 Waiters 5131 Bartenders 5132 Hairdressers 5141 Beauticians and related workers 5142 Cleaning and housekeeping supervisors in offices, hotels and other establishments

5151

Domestic housekeepers 5152 Building caretakers 5153 Astrologers, fortune-tellers and related workers

5161

Astrologers, fortune-tellers and related workers

5161

Companions and valets 5162 Undertakers and embalmers 5163 Pet groomers and animal care workers 5164 Pet groomers and animal care workers 5164 Driving instructors 5165 Personal services workers not elsewhere classified

5169

Stall and market salespersons 5211 Street food salespersons 5212 Shopkeepers 5221 Shop supervisors 5222 Shop sales assistants 5223 Cashiers and ticket clerks 5230 Fashion and other models 5241 Sales demonstrators 5242 Door to door salespersons 5243 Contact centre salespersons 5244 Service station attendants 5245 Food service counter attendants 5246 Food service counter attendants 5246 Sales workers not elsewhere classified 5249 Child care workers 5311 Teachers' aides 5312 Health care assistants 5321 Home-based personal care workers 5322 Personal care workers in health services not elsewhere classified

5329

Personal care workers in health services not elsewhere classified

5329

Fire fighters 5411 Police officers 5412 Prison guards 5413 Security guards 5414


Security guards 5414 Protective services workers not elsewhere classified

5419

Field crop and vegetable growers 6111 Field crop and vegetable growers 6111 Tree and shrub crop growers 6112 Tree and shrub crop growers 6112 Gardeners, horticultural and nursery growers

6113

Gardeners, horticultural and nursery growers

6113

Mixed crop growers 6114 Mixed crop growers 6114 Livestock and dairy producers 6121 Livestock and dairy producers 6121 Livestock and dairy producers 6121 Poultry producers 6122 Poultry producers 6122 Poultry producers 6122 Apiarists and sericulturists 6123 Apiarists and sericulturists 6123 Animal producers not elsewhere classified 6129 Mixed crop and animal producers 6130 Mixed crop and animal producers 6130 Forestry and related workers 6210 Forestry and related workers 6210 Forestry and related workers 6210 Aquaculture workers 6221 Aquaculture workers 6221 Inland and coastal waters fishery workers 6222 Inland and coastal waters fishery workers 6222 Deep-sea fishery workers 6223 Deep-sea fishery workers 6223 Hunters and trappers 6224 Subsistence crop farmers 6310 Subsistence livestock farmers 6320 Subsistence mixed crop and livestock farmers

6330

Subsistence fishers, hunters, trappers and gatherers

6340

House builders 7111 House builders 7111 Bricklayers and related workers 7112 Stonemasons, stone cutters, splitters and carvers

7113

Stonemasons, stone cutters, splitters and carvers

7113

Concrete placers, concrete finishers and related workers

7114

Carpenters and joiners 7115

Building frame and related trades workers not elsewhere classified

7119

Roofers 7121 Floor layers and tile setters 7122 Plasterers 7123 Insulation workers 7124 Glaziers 7125 Plumbers and pipe fitters 7126 Air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics

7127

Painters and related workers 7131 Spray painters and varnishers 7132 Building structure cleaners 7133 Metal moulders and coremakers 7211 Welders and flamecutters 7212 Sheet-metal workers 7213 Structural-metal preparers and erectors 7214 Riggers and cable splicers 7215 Blacksmiths, hammersmiths and forging press workers

7221

Toolmakers and related workers 7222 Metal working machine tool setters and operators

7223

Metal working machine tool setters and operators

7223

Metal polishers, wheel grinders and tool sharpeners

7224

Motor vehicle mechanics and repairers 7231 Aircraft engine mechanics and repairers 7232 Agricultural and industrial machinery mechanics and repairers

7233

Bicycle and related repairers 7234 Precision-instrument makers and repairers 7311 Musical instrument makers and tuners 7312 Jewellery and precious-metal workers 7313 Potters and related workers 7314 Glass makers, cutters, grinders and finishers

7315

Sign writers, decorative painters, engravers and etchers

7316

Sign writers, decorative painters, engravers and etchers

7316

Handicraft workers in wood, basketry and related materials

7317

Handicraft workers in wood, basketry and related materials

7317

Handicraft workers in textile, leather and related materials

7318


7318


7318


Handicraft workers not elsewhere classified

7319

Pre-press technicians 7321 Pre-press technicians 7321 Pre-press technicians 7321 Printers 7322 Printers 7322 Printers 7322 Print finishing and binding workers 7323 Print finishing and binding workers 7323 Building and related electricians 7411 Electrical mechanics and fitters 7412 Electrical line installers and repairers 7413 Electronics mechanics and servicers 7421 Electronics mechanics and servicers 7421 Information and communications technology installers and servicers

7422

Information and communications technology installers and servicers

7422


7422


7422

Butchers, fishmongers and related food preparers

7511

Bakers, pastry-cooks and confectionery makers

7512

Dairy-products makers 7513 Fruit, vegetable and related preservers 7514 Food and beverage tasters and graders 7515 Tobacco preparers and tobacco products makers

7516

Wood treaters 7521 Cabinet-makers and related workers 7522 Woodworking-machine tool setters and operators

7523

Woodworking-machine tool setters and operators

7523

Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and hatters 7531 Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and hatters 7531 Garment and related pattern-makers and cutters

7532

Sewing, embroidery and related workers 7533 Upholsterers and related workers 7534 Pelt dressers, tanners and fellmongers 7535 Shoemakers and related workers 7536 Underwater divers 7541 Underwater divers 7541 Shotfirers and blasters 7542 Product graders and testers (excluding foods and beverages)

7543

Fumigators and other pest and weed controllers

7544

Craft and related workers not elsewhere classified

7549

Miners and quarriers 8111 Miners and quarriers 8111 Mineral and stone processing plant operators

8112

Well drillers and borers and related workers

8113

Cement, stone and other mineral products machine operators

8114

Metal processing plant operators 8121 Metal processing plant operators 8121 Metal processing plant operators 8121 Metal processing plant operators 8121 Metal finishing, plating and coating machine operators

8122

Chemical products plant and machine operators

8131


8131


8131


8131


8131


8131


8131


8131


8131

Photographic products machine operators 8132 Photographic products machine operators 8132 Rubber products machine operators 8141 Plastic products machine operators 8142 Paper products machine operators 8143 Fibre preparing, spinning and winding machine operators

8151

Weaving and knitting machine operators 8152 Weaving and knitting machine operators 8152 Sewing machine operators 8153 Bleaching, dyeing and fabric cleaning machine operators

8154

Fur and leather preparing machine operators

8155

Shoemaking and related machine operators

8156

Laundry machine operators 8157


Textile, fur and leather products machine operators not elsewhere classified

8159

Food and related products machine operators

8160


8160


8160


8160


8160


8160


8160


8160


8160

Pulp and papermaking plant operators 8171 Pulp and papermaking plant operators 8171 Wood processing plant operators 8172 Glass and ceramics plant operators 8181 Glass and ceramics plant operators 8181 Steam engine and boiler operators 8182 Packing, bottling and labelling machine operators

8183

Stationary plant and machine operators not elsewhere classified

8189

Mechanical machinery assemblers 8211 Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers

8212

Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers

8212

Assemblers not elsewhere classified 8219 Assemblers not elsewhere classified 8219 Assemblers not elsewhere classified 8219 Assemblers not elsewhere classified 8219 Locomotive engine drivers 8311 Railway brake, signal and switch operators

8312

Motorcycle drivers 8321 Car, taxi and van drivers 8322 Bus and tram drivers 8331 Heavy truck and lorry drivers 8332 Mobile farm and forestry plant operators 8341 Earthmoving and related plant operators 8342 Crane, hoist and related plant operators 8343 Lifting truck operators 8344 Ships' deck crews and related workers 8350 Domestic cleaners and helpers 9111

Cleaners and helpers in offices, hotels and other establishments

9112

Hand launderers and pressers 9121 Vehicle cleaners 9122 Window cleaners 9123 Other cleaning workers 9129 Crop farm labourers 9211 Livestock farm labourers 9212 Mixed crop and livestock farm labourers 9213 Garden and horticultural labourers 9214 Garden and horticultural labourers 9214 Forestry labourers 9215 Fishery and aquaculture labourers 9216 Mining and quarrying labourers 9311 Civil engineering labourers 9312 Building construction labourers 9313 Hand packers 9321 Manufacturing labourers not elsewhere classified

9329

Manufacturing labourers not elsewhere classified

9329

Hand and pedal vehicle drivers 9331 Drivers of animal-drawn vehicles and machinery

9332

Freight handlers 9333 Shelf fillers 9334 Fast food preparers 9411 Kitchen helpers 9412 Street and related service workers 9510 Street vendors (excluding food) 9520 Garbage and recycling collectors 9611 Refuse sorters 9612 Refuse sorters 9612 Sweepers and related labourers 9613 Messengers, package deliverers and luggage porters

9621

Messengers, package deliverers and luggage porters

9621

Odd job persons 9622 Meter readers and vending-machine collectors

9623

Water and firewood collectors 9624 Elementary workers not elsewhere classified

9629

Commissioned armed forces officers 0110 Non-commissioned armed forces officers 0210 Armed forces occupations, other ranks 0310


ANNEX 4 CVQ and NVQ

In 1990, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) articulated a position on the development of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the region. Caribbean Community member states have long realized the importance of TVET in relation to workforce development and economic competitiveness and have made individual country-level efforts to establish their training systems. The need for the coordination and rationalization of TVET and the move to establish a Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) including proposals for the free movement of CERTIFIED skilled labour, have prompted National Training Agencies (NTAs) in the region to exploit the benefits of joint and concerted efforts by establishing among themselves The Caribbean Association of National Training Agencies (CANTA).

OccupationalStandardsRegional Occupational Standards available for download:

Agriculture Industry

Agro Food Processing Level 1



Amenity Horticulture Level 1

Amenity Horticulture Level 2

Butchery Level 2

Cricket Pitch and Maintenance Level 1



Crop Production Level 1

Crop Production Level 2

Crop Production - Grow Box Operations Level 1

Dairy Farming Level 1


Livestock Rearing Level 1

Maintenance of Parks and Protected Terrestrial Areas Level 2

Ornamental Aquaculture Operations Level 1

Rabbit Rearing Level 2

Tractor Operation and Maintenance Level 2

Tree Crop Farming Level 1

Automotive Industry

Motor Rewinding Level 1

Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning Systems Level 2

Motor Vehicle Care & Conditioning Level 1

Motor Vehicle Chassis Systems Level 1

Motor Vehicle Chassis Systems Level 2

Motor Vehicle Engine System Level 1

Motor Vehicle Engine Systems Level 2

Motor Vehicle Repairs (Cars & Light Trucks) Level 1

Motor Vehicle Body Repairs (Cars & Light Trucks) Level 2

Motor Vehicle Steering & Suspension Systems Level 2

Motor Vehicle Transmission Level 2

Small Engine Repairs Level 1

Business Services

Boarding Clerk Services Level 3

Business Administration Level 1

Custom Services Level 2

Custom Services Level 3

Customer Service Level 1


Customer Service Level 2

Developing a New or Existing Business Enterprise Level 3

Events Management (Balloon Craft) Level 1

Events Management (Planning) Level 3

General Office Administration (Office Clerk) Level 1

Marketing Level 3

Management Level 2

Management Level 3

Para-Legal Services Level 2

Payroll Administration Level 3

Payroll Clerk Level 2

Real Estate Services Level 3

Reception Level 1

Reception Level 2

Teller Level 2

Construction

Brick/Block-Laying, Rendering Level 2

Building and Construction - Construction Site Supervision Level 3

Building Construction Drafting Level 1

Building & Construction - Construction Site Management Level 4

Carpentry Level 1

Carpentry Level 2

Civil Construction (Material Handling Operations) Level 2

Concreting Level 2

Concreting/Steel Fixing Level 2

Draughting and Construction Technician Work Level 3


General Construction Level 1



Masonry Level 1

Masonry Level 2

Painting and Decorating Level 2

Pipefitting Level 2

Pipefitting Level 3

Plumbing Level 1

Plumbing Level 2

Property and Facilities Maintenance - (Building Maintenance) Level 1

Properties and Facilities Maintenance Management Level 4

Property Development Management - Construction Project Management Level 5

Soil Testing Level 1

Steel Fixing Level 2

Wall and Ceiling Lining - Drywall Construction Level 2

Wall and Floor Tiling Level 2

Welding Level 1

Welding Level 2

Creative Industries

Audio & Visual (Editing Operations) Level 2

Camera Operations Level 2

Entertainment and Events Technology Level 1

Live Sound Engineering Level 2

Live Sound Engineering Level 3

Musical Performance Level 1


Musical Performance Level 2

Photography Level 1

Production for Television and Film Level 3

Recording Engineering Level 2

Technical Assistance in TV and Video Production Level 1

Education

Assessment Verification (External) Level 4

Assessment Verification (Internal) Level 4

Coaching and Instructing in Sport Level 3

Disability Work (Special Education) Level 2

Early Childhood Development Level 1

Early Childhood Development Level 2

Library and Information Services - (Library Clerk) Level 1

Library and Information Services - (Library Assistant) Level 2

Nursery Care Services Level 2

Parenting Facilitation Level 3

Training and Assessment Level 4

Training and Development Level 4

Energy

Power Generation (Stand-by) Level 1

Power Line Construction and Maintenance Level 1

Process Plant Operations Level 2

Engineering & Maintenance

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Level 2

Electrical Installation Level 1




Electrical/Electronic Maintenance Level 2

Fluid Power Equipment Maintenance Level 1

Fluid Power Equipment Maintenance Level 2

Industrial Electrical Maintenance Level 3

Industrial Electronics Level 2

Instrumentation & Control Level 2

Instrumentation & Control Level 3

Light Metal Fabrication Level 1

Mechanical Maintenance Level 1



Metal Work Engineering Level 1

Metal Work Engineering Level 2

Rigging Level 1

Small Appliance Repairs Level 1

Entertainment

Lighting Operations Level 2

Fish and Fish Processing

Aquaculture Grow Box Out Operations Level 2

Aquaculture Grow Box Out Operations Level 3

Fish Handling and Processing Level 1

Fish Handling and Processing Level 2

Inland Aquaculture Operations - Tilapia Production Level 1

Health

Allied Health - Geriatric Caregiver Level 2


Allied Health - Geriatric Caregiver Level 3

Allied Health - Health Care Assistance (Patient Care) Level 2

Care of the Older Adult Level 2

Health Screening Level 2

Peri-Operative Surgical Technology (POST) Level 3

Pre-Hospital Care (Emergency Medical Technician) Level 3

Health, Safety, Security and Environment

Industrial Security Operations Level 1

Occupational Safety and Health Level 3

Information Technology

Call Contact Centre Operations Level 1

Call Contact Centre Operations Level 2

Data Operations Level 1

Data Operations Level 2

Network Engineering Level 4

Using ICT Level 1

Web Programming Level 3

Cultural Industries

Art and Craft Production - (Textile/Fibre) Level 1

Bamboo Weaving Level 2

Ceramic Production Level 2

Drapery Making Level 1

Floor Covering and Finishing Level 3

Floor Covering and Finishing - Carpet Laying Level 2

Floor Covering and Finishing - Resilient Level 2

Floor Covering and Finishing - Timber Level 2


Furnishing Production Management Level 4

Furnishing Production Management Level 5

Furniture Finishing Level 1

Furniture Making Level 1

Furniture Making Level 2

Glass & Glazing Level 2

Glass & Glazing Level 3

Interior Decorationg Level 4

Jewellery Production (Leather) Level 2

Jewellery Production (Seeds) Level 2

Leather Goods Manufacturing Level 2

Papier Mache Craft Level 2

Picture Framing Level 2

Soft Furnishing Level 1



Steel Pan Manufacturing Level 1

Steel Pan Manufacturing Level 2

Steel Pan Tuning Level 2

Steel Pan Tuning Level 3

Upholstery Level 1

Maritime

Outboard Boat Engine Repairs Level 2

Printing and Packaging

Extrusion Operations Level 1

Extrusion Operations (Plastics) Level 2


Printing and Graphics Arts - Computer Graphic Arts Level 1

Printing and Graphics Arts - Computer Graphic Arts Level 2

Screen Printing Level 2

Public Services

Providing Security Services Level 2

Security Operations Level 3

Tourism and Hospitality

Bar Service Level 1

Commercial Food Preparation (Butchering) Level 2

Commercial Food Preparation (Chef de Parte) Level 3

Commercial Food Preparation (Cookery) Level 1

Commercial Food Preparation {(Pastry Chef) or (Patisserie)} Level 3

Commercial Food Preparation (Sous Chef) Level 3

Commercial Food Preparation (Stewarding) Level 1

Community Hosting Services Level 2

Community Hosting Services Level 3

Community Tour Guiding Level 1

Community Tourism Level 1



Food and Beverage - Bar Service (Bartending) Level 2

Food and Beverage - Food and Beverage Supervision (Maitre'D) Level 3

Food and Drink Service Level 2

Food Preparation and Cookery Level 1

Food Preparation and Cookery Level 2

Front Office - (Uniform Services - Bellman) Level 1


Housekeeping Level 1

Housekeeping Level 2

Housekeeping - (Houseman) Level 1

Housekeeping - (Laundry Attendant) Level 1

Property Maintenance - (Small Property) Level 1

Transport

Aircraft Maintenance Foundation Skills Level 1

Defensive Driving Instruction (Heavy/ Extra Heavy Vehicle) Level 3

Defensive Driving Instruction (Light Vehicle) Level 3

Defensive Driving Instruction (Ominibus) Level 3

Learner Driving Instruction (Light Motor Vehicle) Level 3

Learner Driving Instruction (Motorcycle) Level 3

Stevedoring Foundation Skills Level 1

Stevedoring Operations Level 2

Stevedoring Operations Level 3

Personal Services

Barbering Level 2

Cosmetology Level 2

Design and Construction of Lingerie & Sleepwear Level 2

Fabric Design Level 1

Fashion Designing Level 2

Floral Arrangement Level 1

Garment Production Level 1

General Cosmetology Level 1

Home Furnishings Production (Fabric) Level 2

Massage Therapy Level 3


Massage Therapy Level 4

Nail Technology Level 2

Salon Management Level 4

Waste & Wastewater

Wastewater Process Plant Operations Level 1

Waste Process Plant Operations Level 1

In the CARICOM the Occupational Standards define the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for effective workplace performance. They specify what a person should know and do in order to effectively carry out the functions of a particular job in the context of the work environment. Standards are the agreed minimum best practice in an Occupational Area and take into account all necessary statutory requirements.

Regional Occupational Standards (ROS) are National Occupational Standards that have been regionally approved by CARICOM

Occupational Standards are used to:

• National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) and the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ)

• prepare job descriptions and specifications

• determine recruitment criteria

• set in-house standards of performance and develop workplace procedures

• form a benchmark for quality of performance

• develop training programs

• assess the effectiveness of training programs

• identify skills gaps and training needs

Documents

LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION (LMI) Methods and Methodology · Labour Market Information (LMI) Methods and Methodologies Tool Kit (December 2013) Introduction and Background The challenge