Training Need Assessment

Establishment of two HDRCs Project NSAK Bagh

Prepared by
Monitoring Evaluation & Research Section Hashoo Foundation


Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 1
Approach ....................................................................................................................................................... 1
Sample Size and Structure ............................................................................................................................ 2
Methodology ................................................................................................................................................. 2
Findings: ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Conclusion and Recommendations: .............................................................................................................. 6

1

Introduction
Hashoo Foundation, with support of Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), is implementing skills
development project namely Establishment of two Human Development Resource Centers
(HDRCs) in union council Nar Sher Ali Khan (NSAK)of District Bagh, AJ&K. The union
council has roughly 30 major villages with multi ethnic population of roughly 2600 to 3500
households. Most of the people have agrarian background and earn their bread and butter from
agriculture and related activities. Some of the people use to work in the cities of Punjab and other
parts of Pakistan, but they mainly belong to labor class.
The purpose of this training need assessment (TNA) is to ascertain the local communitys need
for vocational and technical trainings under different trades. Before this a base line survey was
carried out and different trades were specified for both male and female. Both hard and soft
trades were introduced for male and female, that includes, ICT training for boys and girls,
training on fruit preservation (particularly apricot drying), honey production, building electrician,
tailoring & embroidery, plumbing, carpentry, poultry farming, vegetable farming and mobile
repairing. But later during project implementation it was observed that the concentration of the
people is diverted to few specific trades. This diversion resulted in deviation in achieved results
under different trades in two years period of project implementation.
The monitoring and the progress reports of the project indicate the reasons for diversion in
different trades which were mainly the length and timings of the courses as people were found
more interested in part time soft skill trainings. The other main reason for short fall in hard trades
was the fulfillment of the local need for particular trades. People were observed more willing for
soft skill trainings which were beingoffered next to their door steps and found less inclined to
long term in house hard skill trainings at the training venues. This diversion among trades
imbalanced the overall results against the initially committed trade wise targets; hence the
project team with the support of core monitoring evaluation and research team reassessed the
training needs of the area to effectively plan and work out the committed results.The following
objectives were laid down for this assessment;
To ascertain the existing knowledge and skills of the community members and to provide
detailed information on their training needs under different soft and hard skills
To outline recommendations to address training needs of the local community under their
preferred trades while satisfying the projects commitments
Approach
The TNA approach used here represents the combination of a top-down methodology, where
training information is derived from the strategic priorities and goals of project, and a bottom up
2

approach, where training needs are assessed from the individuals perspective. This allows
individual training needs and projectspriorities and commitments to be balanced.
Sample Size and Structure
The assessment targeted local community members of Nar Sher Ali Khan.The target group
consisted of employed, unemployed, business community and the students. The age limit was
also taken into account while collecting the data and mostly the youth of age group less than 35
years wastargeted. On the same side the female segment of the society was also given due
weightage in the sample. Because of shortfall in early achieved results of male trainees, 76%
respondents of the assessment were male. In order to improve the accuracy in results of this
assessment, a total 131 individuals from 30 villages of NSAK were interviewed. Also the
stakeholder and documentary reviews were made part of this process.
Methodology
The assessment process was carried out in five principle stages:
Preparation: The TNA groundwork is laid in this stage to include the conceptualization of the
assessment exercise; the selection and development of assessment tools; the identification of the
sample, and the development of detailed competency profiles that form the basis for the
knowledge and skills assessment. Competency profiles are based on a thorough analysis, follow-
up visits by the MER team, and review of presented quarterly progress reports.
Roll-out: At this phase data collection tools are deployed in targeted local community of UC
NSAK and two teams were constructed for the field data collection. Both teams visited the
villages and surroundings areas and collected the required information form 30 villages for the
final analysis.
Data compilation: A comprehensive data compilation tool was designed and was updated on
daily basis. To minimize errors in data inputs, standard data cleansing and filtration methods
have been applied.
Data analysis: A comprehensive Need analysis is carried out where the findings of the
assessment were compared against the need analysis that used as a baseline. This allows for
accurate mapping of current and updated need of the required trainings in specific trades.
Findings and recommendations: Key assessment findings are computed, and it is assumed that
these findings and recommendations will benefit the project and the stakeholders in the long run.
3

Findings:
Assessment reveals that the targeted sample hasmainly agrarian background and they earn their
bread and butter through farming and related activities. Apart from agriculture there are fewer
economic activities in the area and mostly the respondents belong to low to medium income
class.
Assessment analyses mix education
level of the respondents. It is obvious
from the distribution that only few of
them have attained the specific
education level which may help them
in locating decent job in the
market.Because of lack of economic
activities in the area, the earning power
of the people is too lowto afford the
education of their children in senior
professional grades. This is reflected in
the results that only 21% of the
respondents have either completed the
graduation or they are in process of completion. Female education is also not being given due
importance in the area as a result they have comparatively low literacy rate as it is observed in
the male segment.
There is vital difference in current employment status of male and female where male side gives
much better employment percentagesopposing to the females. The majority of the employed
males are self-employed. They are either running different merchandise or services shops, or
they are earning through farming and livestock management. The self-employed females (9%)
are mainly domestic workers. A major proportion of both males and females (approximately
60%) is either unemployed or they are studying in formal education.

0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Employed Self
Employed
Student Un
employed
7%
43%
19%
30%
0%
9%
19%
72%
Employment Status
Male
Female
3%
23%
15%
38%
21%
Education Level
Graduation Higher Secondery
illiteriate Middle
Primary
4

29%
33%
38%
Skill Level
Advance
Moderate
Low
People of the UC NSAK are mostly
unskilled. There are some
government technical training
institutes in Bagh but due to lack of
awareness and accessibilitypeople
didnt availed those trainings. There
were also certain pre-requisites, for
different trainings, set by those
institutes for admission, which was
also a hindrance to get registered and
trained. The same has been observed
through statistical analysis that 84% of the respondents do not have any skill that can become a
source of earning for them. On the other hand, majority of the respondents who are having
certain skills dont have the required expertise in it which may help them to locate some eloquent
work in the competitive market.
While analyzing the preferred training needs of the local community members for different soft
and hard trades it is observed that at present the people of NSAK are mostly interested in getting
training on soft skills. Overall 73% of the respondents gave their need for the soft trades while
only 27% expressed the need for hard trades. This is mainly because of reason that about 60% of
the respondentsare either employed/self-employed or they are students. They seem more
interested in soft trades that they can continue along with their regular work. There are fewer
among these 60% who have opted for the hard trades mainly because they are already connected
with the related businesses and they believe that these trainings will not only enhance their skill
but will also increase their productivity and income.

0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
17%
5%
23%
15%
7%
16%
1%
15%
0% 0%
13%
9%
0%
3%
75%
0%
Future Preferred Trades
Male
Female
5

Apart from the above facts the others reasons for lack of interest for hard trades are already
fulfillment of local needs, and length and timings of the training. People also believe that there
are fewer job/work opportunities for hard trades in local market of NSAK while there is strong
competition among the skilled and experienced workers in the neighborly towns and cities.
People also seek their convenience in preference; since the soft trainings are being organized at
village level so they find it easy and manageable. Unlikely trainings on hard trades are being
offered at training centers, which are far away from their residences and there are transportation
issues, which makes them little diffident to opt the hard training course.
As discussed the majority of the respondents have direct and indirect agrarian background.
Traditionally farmers of NSAK are used to produce crops like maze & wheat. Few of them are
involved in the cultivation of vegetables on commercial bases while using customary practices.
This is resulting in low production and low quality of crops and thus they are having little return
on their efforts.
Although the trainings under the project are primarily focused to involve youth of the area;
however,the participation of individuals of age group above 35 years in soft trades is also evident
in earlier batches. The training need for soft skills among different age groups has also been
assessed in this survey. It has been observed that among 73% of the respondents who have
expressed their need for the soft trades, 79% are of age group under 35 years while the rest are in
upper age bracket. This shows great interest of youth in soft skills training i.e. poultry farming,
vegetable farming, honey bee keeping, dairy and livestock management and ICT. However, the
need of soft skills training in age group above 35 years cant be unheeded. On further
investigating the project staff and the locals of the area it is concluded that mostly the head of the
families are responsible for earning which they manage it by doing regular and part time jobs.
They seek soft trades as useful part time earning activity along with their regular work.
Assessment reveals that the educated lot (both male and female) of the area has preference for
ICT training. The students are eager to learn computer basic skills as they believe that this will
assist them in their further studies and subsequently in job search.
The analysis also shows great interest in honeybee keeping training. People are already
practicing this business on traditional basis and earning for their family. Honeybee keeping is a
common practice among the villagers of NSAK. The abundance of local bee, ideal flora,
particularly the clover and wild herbs, is an advantage for local beekeepers. However, traditional
use of fixed-comb log or wall-hives and harvesting honey by squeezing combs, have resulted in
low yield and poor quality and quantity of honey (only one to two kg per hive). Traditional
harvesting methods also kill some brood and adult bees, leading to a decline in colony strength.
The small quantities of honey harvested in NSAK by individual beekeepers using these
traditional techniques have never been able to enter the mainstream market. They have been
using it for their own use or selling it at cheaper prices. The assessment shows great demand of
6

Self
Business
82%
Job
18%
Future Plans
honeybee keeping training to introduce modern beekeeping techniques for rearing one
indigenous honeybee species.
Female respondents observed more interested in embroidery and tailoring as they feel more
comfortable doing this job at household level without any external influence and they believe
that they can save handsome amount while stitching the clothes of their family members and of
the neighbors. However due to social constraints they seemed reluctant to start this at a larger
scale.
It is also analyzed from the responses
that above 80% of the individuals has
great aptitude for starting their own
business after attaining the training;
which is a positive sign towards self-
sustainability. There are few who find
these useful in getting some decent jobs
in local and nearby markets. They all
believe that the trainings will help them
in their future prospects and will become
a meaningful source of earning for them
in future.
Conclusion and Recommendations:
After analyzing the ground realities and the data gathered through the assessment; the following
need based plan has been devised by HFs MER team for fulfillment of the projects
commitments along with the local training needs of the community.









7

12%
5%
16%
15%
15%
12%
24%
Training Need (Based on TNA)
ICT (M)
ICT (F)
Tailoring (F)
D & LS (M)
Poultry Farming (M)
Vegetable Farming (M)
Honeybee Keeping (M)
19%
5%
16%
15%
17%
28%
Training Need (After Adjustments
on TNA)
ICT (M)
ICT (F)
Tailoring (F)
D & LS (M)
Vegetable Farming (M)
Honeybee Keeping (M)
S.
No.
Trade
Baseline
Target
Pass out Trainees
New Y-3
Targets
(based on
TNA)
Project
Target
(with TNA
nos.)
Proposed Y-3
Target (After
Adjustment)
Project Target
(After
Adjustments)
Male Female
1 ICT Male 150 95 81 176 125 220
2 ICT Female 150 90 30 120 30 120
3 Tailoring 150 122 103 225 103 225
4 Carpentry 150 13 0 13 0 13
5 Building Electrician 150 67 0 67 0 67
6 Plumbing 150 40 0 40 0 40
7 Fruit Preservation 150 8 202 0 210 0 210
8 D & LS 250 201 14 100 315 100 315
9 Poultry Farming 225 10 295 100 405 0 305
10 Vegetable farming 150 20 116 80 216 114 250
11 Honeybee keeping 175 25 28 160 213 182 235
12 Mobile Repairing 150 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 2000 479 867 654 2000 654 2000

8

1. Soft skills must be given preference in future trainings to fulfill the local needs and the
projects commitments. There is great need and potential in soft skills like ICT, dairy and
livestock management, poultry farming, vegetable farming and honey bee keeping.
2. The project has already over achieved results, roughly by 36%, in poultry farming. Here
again great need has been expressed by the male members in this trade. Therefore poultry
farming training has been shown tradeoff with other under scored tradesin adjustments to
maintain a balance between the targets under different trades. However, it is
recommended that project should follow the needs directly assessed through TNA. The
same is valid for other trades.
3. Poultry farming trainings were earlier limited to females but great need has been
expressed by the male members of community in this TNA. Despite of the fact the trade
has already overachieved from the initial planned figuresbut should be accommodated
based on greater demand and interest from the male members of the community. If not,
adjusted approximations for training need are more workable.
4. There is no further interest of the community in training under hard trades carpentry,
plumbing, building electrician and mobile repairing, and in soft trade fruit
preservation. It is suggested to drop these trades from future batches of the trainings.
5. Though there is great interest from the male students for the ICT course; however a batch
or two of females can possibly be accommodated to balance the committed results.
6. Honey bee keeping trainings only may not suffice the need and fulfill the purpose; the
trainees would also require the support from the project in shape of bee hives and honey
extraction tools. In the past, the project has managed it somehow through local
manufacturing of bee hives for which the wood has been arranged by the local trainees.
The same would be required in future for attaining fruitful results.
7. Honey production isdependent on the availability of flora and favorable weather.
Knowing the local conditions of weather and flora, and to gain some production after the
trainings; it is recommended to complete the training cycle before March next year.
8. A proportionate of the females have expressed their desire for honey bee keeping
training; however there is huge interest and demand from the females for the training on
tailoring and embroidery. Also there arefewer numbers of female trainees to be achieved
to balance the project commitment of 50% participation of females. Therefore, it is
recommended to promote the tailoring and embroidery in future batches of females.
9. Though there is great demand of soft skill trainings from the youth; however it seems that
certain percentage of the group with age above 35 years have this demand based on their
socio-economic needs. In several cases they are the only earning source in their families.
It is recommend preferring the youth for soft trades while accommodating a certain
percentage (15-20%) of above age group in soft skills trainings in future, provided they
registered themselves for any course.