Tracer studies
Online
Tracer studies
20 March–9 April 2023
Introduction to the course
The ITCILO and ILO's Employment Department, Skills and Employability Branch join forces to organize a set of micro-courses on the skills anticipation and matching methods. The first edition of this learning pathway will focus on "Tracer Studies" and "Establishment Skills Surveys".
A tracer study or graduate survey is a standardised survey of graduates from education institutions, which takes place sometime after graduation or the end of the training. The subjects of a tracer study can be manifold, but common topics include questions on study progress, the transition to work, work entrance, job career, use of learned competencies, current occupation and bonds to the education institution (school, centre, university).
Tracer studies are common in higher education, but are becoming more and more popular in technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Reforms and programmes seeking improvement of TVET systems try to respond to labour market needs and contribute to overcoming skills mismatch, and support the transition from school to work; to achieve these objectives, TVET institutions need data from tracer studies to measure their effectiveness and the impact they have generated.
Who attends this course?
This course is intended for a wide range of stakeholders, who are interested in learning about Tracer studies, or are currently involved in designing, implementing or monitoring tracer studies, including:
- Tracer study practitioners: researchers, school teachers, university lecturers or administrative staff; - Staff of Ministries and public agencies in charge of TVET or Skills Development at national, regional or sector levels seeking to obtain information and data to inform decision-making;
- Research centres and expert networks involved/engaged in carrying out tracer studies for clients; associations and networks with interest in evidence offered by tracer studies;
- Managers of education institutions and other policy- and decision-makers who want background knowledge about tracer studies;
- Social partners and experts who design labour market policies and participate in decision making process of approving skill training projects/programmes;
- Representative from enterprises to develop modern human resource management strategies;
- Experts and technical staff who directly get involved in study design and implementation, such as survey managers, data collectors and analysts.
Objectives
The main objective of this course is to help participants preparing to carry out tracer studies in their respective professional environment with a practical, output-oriented, quality assured approach.
Upon completion of the course, participants will have all the necessary tools to:
- plan and design a tracer study with clear objectives;
- develop the questionnaires and roll out the data collection phase;
- analyse data, interpret and present results and apply self-evaluation.
Participants will leave this course connected to a global network of experts and practitioners involved in tracer studies throughout the world, which will offer them the opportunity to exchange regularly on this topic even after its conclusion.
Modules
This micro-course will consist of the following three learning units:
Unit 1 . Preparing for a tracer study
- Key concepts, terminologies/definitions
- Tracer study - basic steps, timeline, work tasks & minimum requirements
- Setting key objectives of tracer studies
- The design cycle
Unit 2 ● Rolling Out a tracer study
- Questionnaire modules for a tracer study
- Questionnaire development
- Data collection methods
Unit 3 ● Analyzing and presenting the results of a tracer study
- Data analysis – recommended software, techniques and approaches
- Interpretation of results and practical conclusions
- Presentation and dissemination of results
- Self-evaluation of study quality
Individual assignment Develop your tracer study project
Application
If you wish to participate in this course, please fill in the online application available here: https://oarf2.itcilo.org/DST/A9716031/en by 09 March 2023.
Kindly indicate how your participation will be financed and attach to the form or send us by email a letter of financial support from your sponsor.
