Why Graduates of "In-Demand" Vocational Trades Face Unemployment in Kazakhstan

Nearly one in three vocational college graduates in Kazakhstan remains unemployed, according to Minister of Education Zhuldyz Suleimenova during a Cabinet meeting. Out of 51,000 recent technical graduates, only 34,600 (68%) secured employment, leaving 16,400 individuals without jobs - even in fields officially labeled as high-demand.

Employment rates across key vocational specialties reveal noticeable gaps:

• Cutters and Tailors: 79%

• Cooks: 77%

• Confectioners: 76%

• Electricians and Tractor Drivers/Operators: 70%

• Electricfitters: 68%

• Seamstresses and Auto Mechanics: 66%

• Electric and Gas Welders: 65%

• Computer Hardware Operators: 56%

Despite these challenges, Suleimenova noted that overall employment for vocational graduates improved by three percentage points to reach 68%.

However, a severe imbalance persists across key economic sectors. The construction industry faces a shortage of 102,000 specialists, yet colleges are training only 22,400 students (demand exceeds supply by 4.5 times). Similarly, agriculture requires 73,000 workers, but enrollment stands at just 12,700 students (a 5.7-fold deficit).

To resolve these disparities, the Ministry plans to realign state educational orders with regional and industrial workforce demands, ensuring technical education directly matches economic needs.