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Summary of the Market Assessment Toolkit for
Vocational Training Providers and Youth
1. Introduction
The Market Assessment Toolkit for Vocational Training Providers and Youth was prepared by
Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs on behalf of the Women’s
Commission for Refugee Women and Children. The document is available at
http://www.womenscommission.org/pdf/ug_ysl_toolkit.pdf.
This document aims to summarise the key elements of the Toolkit for consideration by
members of the Koliyonkulam Village’s Evening School project, which is being facilitated via
www.nabuur.com.
2. Purpose of the toolkit
The Toolkit aims to help:
- Understand the market;
- Identify possible opportunities for employment; and
- Identify the skills and interests of students.
This information can guide decisions on what vocational training the evening school should
offer.
3. How to use the toolkit
The toolkit is very comprehensive. It initially looks overwhelming. However, each individual
tool is very clear, providing a step-by-step process to gather important information.
Here are a few ideas about ways the toolkit could be used:
- Make the toolkit part of the curriculum. The toolkit could be used essentially as part of
the curriculum for the classes for the first month or so. All the research activities could
be undertaken as classroom exercises where the students learn about aspects of
market analysis, business planning and career planning. This would require a local
teacher or facilitator to read and become familiar with the full the toolkit and plan
lessons based on each section. Perhaps Nabuur Neighbours could assist with lesson
planning and providing additional materials.
- Complete a subset of the toolkit. Another option would be to choose one or two key
market assessment tools to complete as an input to the task of determining the types
of vocational training to be offered. I would suggest starting with the “Market
Observation” and “Consumer” tools. This would require conducting initial desk-based
research, market observation activities and interviews or workshops with local
contacts. Once the initial tools have been completed, you can think about completing
the other tools.
- Brainstorm. A more limited, but possibly quicker option would be simply to take the
key research questions (see Table 1 below), as well as the sub-questions from each
market assessment tool and brainstorm the answers with a local group. The summary
charts at the end of each tool could be used to facilitate the brainstorming session.
Again, the results could be used as an input to deciding on the types of vocational
training to be offered.
Depending on the selected option, further work will be required to extract and tailor
relevant sections of the toolkit. This work would be facilitated via Nabuur.
6/8/2009 Page 1 of 3
Summary of the Market Assessment Toolkit for Vocational Training Providers
4. Summary of the toolkit
The toolkit has three sections:
- Market Assessment Toolkit for Vocational Training Providers - provides an
understanding of market conditions and the sources of potential employment growth
within the community and surrounding areas.
- Decision Charts - helps translate information from the market assessment into
decisions about vocational training .
- Market Interaction Toolkit for Youth - helps youth get involved in choosing a vocation.
4.1. Market Assessment Toolkit for Vocational Training Providers
The aim of the Provider toolkit is to answer the following key questions:
- What vocational training and complementary courses should be offered?
- What local businesses and national associations can you link with to provide on-the-
job training, career guidance and potential employment opportunities for graduates?
- What financial service providers can you link with to help graduates engage in
employment or self-employment?
Ten market assessment tools are provided. Each tool aims to gather information about
different aspects of the market.
Market Key research question Information Summary
Assessment Gathered chart
Tool page
number
Market What does local supply and demand for goods and services Overview of local Page 30
Observation show about opportunities for employment or self-employment economic activity
for vocational training graduates?
Consumers What does local demand for goods and services show about Consumer Page 34
vocational training graduates’ opportunities for employment or preferences and
self-employment? needs
What “complementary skills” that vocational training programs
can provide do youth need to meet consumer preferences?
Government How can vocational training programs best engage with the National and Page 41
government’s current and upcoming contracts for economic regional
recovery and development? development
priorities
Local How can vocational training programs prepare youth with the Labour market Page 49
Business skills necessary to be competitive in a particular sector? demand,
How can links between vocational training programs and qualifications and
businesses be created to assist graduates in finding constraints;
employment? employment
linkages
National What skills and product information do vocational training Labour market Page 56
Producer program participants need to be competitive in a particular demand,
and sector? qualifications and
Business How can links with producer and business associations help constraints;
Associations vocational training programs expand learning opportunities for market
program participants? information,
product
information and
linkages
6/8/2009 Page 2 of 3
Summary of the Market Assessment Toolkit for Vocational Training Providers
Market Key research question Information Summary
Assessment Gathered chart
Tool page
number
Youth Focus What program components and specific skills have vocational Youth Page 60,
Group training program participants found most useful and preferences and 62
marketable? demands
What is market demand for vocational training among the
broader youth market?
What courses or trainings are youth most interested in as a
means to achieving sustainable livelihoods?
Vocational What characteristics of your program are unique and which Share best Page 69
training are similar to other programs in the district? practices,
Providers What are some of the gaps that your program offerings could coordinate and
fill? share data
collection
Microfinance How can youth access financial services when graduating Market Page 75
Institutions from a vocational training program? information,
What economic activities are considered to be profitable by financing options
financial service professionals? and linkages
What are potential areas of cooperation between vocational
training programs and microfinance institutions?
Donors What donor or non-government organisation’s activities in the Future priorities Page 82
coming months and years can directly or indirectly provide and funding
employment opportunities for vocational training graduates? trends
National and What upcoming contracts issued by major companies can Present and Page 88
Multinational directly or indirectly provide employment opportunities for future investment,
Companies vocational training graduates? future demand for
products, services
and support
Table 1 –Toolkit Summary (Providers)
4.2. Decision Charts
This section collates all the information gathered through the Market Assessment Toolkit as
an aid to decision making.
4.3. Market Interaction Toolkit for Youth
The aim of the Youth toolkit is to educate and engage youth in the process of selecting a
vocational track.
Youth Toolkit Key research question
component
Youth Self- What aptitudes and interests does each individual youth have that should be taken
Assessment Tool into account when choosing a vocation to pursue in the vocational training program?
Youth Market What sectors appear most economically viable for youth vocational training
Assessment Tool participants?
What skills, knowledge, character traits and resources are important to succeed in this
sector?
Sector-specific What are the requirements and benefits of this particular vocation?
Interview
Table 2 –Toolkit Summary (Youth)
6/8/2009 Page 3 of 3
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