Improving How Development Programmes Measure Jobs
CEI provided technical advice and quality assurance to the Jobs: Enhancing and Measuring Impact (JEMI) programme, commissioned as part of DFID’s work to support the creation of higher-paying, more secure, and safer jobs through inclusive economic transformation in developing countries.
A central challenge for employment programmes is measuring job creation consistently and credibly across very different contexts. JEMI addressed this challenge by developing a Jobs Measurement Framework that could help programme managers and planners select appropriate methodologies and use a more standard set of indicators when assessing employment impact.
Building and Testing a Jobs Measurement Framework
CEI supported literature review and technical analysis of job measurement methodologies, including their strengths, limitations, and suitability for different programme settings. This work informed the development of the Jobs Measurement Framework and helped strengthen the consistency and rigour of the indicators used to measure job outcomes.
The assignment also included quality assurance for standardised indicator development and technical support during the framework’s pilot phase. Workshops gathered feedback from different programme contexts, allowing the team to test how the framework worked in practice and identify areas for refinement.
By moving beyond informal estimates toward clearer methodologies and more consistent indicators, the JEMI programme aimed to give development practitioners a stronger basis for understanding employment impact, comparing results, and improving programme design.
