Key Expert, Qualifications & curricula: EU Support to VET

About the project

Azerbaijan lacks a qualified workforce with adequate skills and knowledge to meet the growing demands of the labour market. The number of graduates of vocational schools is significantly below the demand of the labour market; and those graduating may not necessarily have the required skills due to the many challenges the Vocational Education Training (VET) sector faces, including a lack of quality. In recent years, only 11% of students attending general schools chose to go to vocational schools, indicating a low interest in VET and showing its lack of attractiveness for young people. 

British Council has been shortlisted for the European Union (EU) Support to VET in Azerbaijan project. The overall objective of this project is to enhance the attractiveness and labour market relevance of all levels of VET. The purposes of this project are as follows: 

1. To improve VET policy and regulatory framework, thereby promoting lifelong learning opportunities and activating participation of social partners
2. To improve VET multi-level management system and governance including sector coordination at the central and local level of the Ministry of Education
3. To develop VET qualifications (educational standards) and curricula linked to occupational standards and introduce them in priority sectors
4. To support the Ministry of Education in the monitoring of VET reforms 

About the role

We are seeking a full-time international Key Expert 3 VET qualifications (educational standards) and curricula to ensure the implementation of the project purpose 3. This includes:

1. Result 9) Developing and testing education standards and curriculum development procedures and legislation, including regulation of practical training. For example: 

• Prepare amendments to relevant legislation considering a new approach to curriculum development
• Develop guidelines for curriculum development in the VET sector including a mechanism enabling the involvement of private-sector representatives or related associations 
• Carry out study visit with a focus on methodology and practices of curriculum development
• Draft curricula, prepare syllabi and teaching materials for selected occupations and implement training activities staff in pilot schools 
• Prepare a revised competence-based assessment framework  
• Pilot the integration of apprenticeships in various trades of at least one VET school 

2. Result 10) Developing and implementing an online resource platform for VET (access to curricula, teaching materials etc.). 

3. Providing support to other Result areas as necessary

The Key Expert will be supported by a full-time non-key expert also working on Purpose 3.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND Skills

Essential 

• Master’s degree in Education, Vocational Education and Training or in a field relevant to the project such as, for instance, Human Resource Development; or a Bachelor degree in an unrelated field and professional experience related to VET qualifications/educational standards and/or curriculum development of at least 15 years;
• Minimum 10 years, and preferably 15 years, of professional experience, of which at least 3 years living and working abroad;
• Experience with and ability to work in a team of experts, demonstrated by at least one project of minimum one-year duration where the key expert was a team member;
• Five years of work experience with the development of qualifications/educational standards and/or of curricula, preferably in initial VET;
• Work experience within the last 10 years in one or several EU Member States with regard to the development of educational standards and/or curricula;
• Three years of work experience with the development of teaching materials;
• • At least one project experience where the key expert facilitated a group of educational standards and/or curriculum and/or teaching materials developers;
• Fluency in oral and written English (at least level 2 on a scale of 1 [excellent] to 5 [basic]). 

Desirable

• Experience with the coordination of inter-sectorial and/or inter-ministerial activities;
• Work experience of at least one year in or working with a public administration of an EU Member State or in a Twinning project where the key expert was in charge of curriculum development;
• Work experience in Neighbourhood and/or developing countries would be an advantage;
• Command of Azerbaijani, Turkish or Russian language would be an asset.

Interested applicants should send a copy of your most recent CV in EU format catered to the above requirements to Leyla.Hasanova@britishcouncil.az with the subject title “KE3 VET Azerbaijan", by Monday 19 September 2016, 9 am (UK time)

Please note that we can only respond to successful applicants and only within three working days of the application deadline.