Individual Consultancy (LVC) - Skills Ecosystem Mapping for the Maldives (only for Maldivian nationals)
Organizational Context
UNICEF operates in over 190 countries, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them reach their full potential. We are committed to promoting the rights of every child, viewing it as a calling. UNICEF offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development, fostering a sense of purpose while serving children and communities globally.
Job Purpose
The purpose of this consultancy is to conduct a rapid, evidence-based Skills Ecosystem Mapping in the Maldives. This mapping will analyze the current landscape of skills development and education-to-work transitions, aiming to produce practical recommendations. The goal is to strengthen inclusive, responsive, and coordinated learning-to-earning pathways for adolescents and young people. This initiative will support UNICEF's programme design, partnership development, and future investment decisions, ensuring that skills provision aligns with employer demand, youth aspirations, and the unique geographic realities of the Maldives, including access for marginalized groups.
Responsibilities
The consultant will map the policies, institutions, programmes, services, and partnerships that shape skills development and education-to-work transitions in the Maldives. This includes assessing formal, non-formal, and co-curricular skills provision across foundational, transferable, digital, green, and technical skills domains. The consultant will identify current and emerging skills needs in priority sectors and analyze the alignment between skills supply, labor-market demand, and youth aspirations. Furthermore, the assignment involves analyzing coordination, financing, data, quality assurance, career guidance, and transition mechanisms across the skills ecosystem. A key aspect will be identifying barriers affecting girls, young people with disabilities, youth on remote islands, out-of-school adolescents, and those not in education, employment, or training. Finally, the consultant will provide prioritized, operationally feasible recommendations and a concise action roadmap for UNICEF, government, and partners.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in skills development, education-to-work transitions, TVET, labor-market analysis, youth employment, workforce development, education systems strengthening, or policy/program analysis is required. Demonstrated experience in ecosystem mapping, stakeholder analysis, qualitative research, and rapid analysis is essential.
Skills
Strong analytical and synthesis skills, Excellent writing and presentation skills, Sound understanding of skills systems, Knowledge of labor-market trends, Familiarity with learning-to-earning pathways, Understanding of institutional coordination, Ecosystem mapping, Stakeholder mapping, Qualitative research methods, Key informant interview techniques, Document review and analysis, Rapid analysis