Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek made a report on the training of in-demand specialists for the labour market at the Government session chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, primeminister.kz reports.
The Ministry of Science and Higher Education together with the Ministry of Education is working on effective cooperation in the field of training in-demand specialists.
As the Head of State noted in his Address, first of all it is necessary to overcome the acute shortage of sectoral specialists, such as water specialists, construction workers, power engineers and many others, as well as to train specialists in the professions of the future," Sayasat Nurbek said.
The work is being done in the following areas:
- Identification of needs, forecasting and planning of specialists' training in co-operation with employers according to their requirements and demands.
- Creation of anchor centres of competence on the model of academic excellence.
- Synchronisation of educational programmes based on the best international practices and technologies.
Priority areas for training and innovation development are determined with due regard to regional specifics within the framework of the "Mamandygym-bolashagym" project. This project allows tracking and forecasting changes in the labour market and promptly responding to them.
Since 2021, in order to reformat the education system to the advanced model of personnel training, the "Atlas of new professions and competencies of Kazakhstan" has been developed, which today is a qualitative component of the National system of labour resources forecasting. ‘Atlas of New Professions’ has become the basis for professional orientation for secondary schools, TVET, universities, as well as a platform for the development of new professional standards and training programmes," Sayasat Nurbek noted.
In 5 regions Regional maps of demand in personnel have already been developed, namely Pavlodar, Mangystau region, Karaganda region, Astana, Almaty. Astana, Almaty. They define 268 new professions. More than 60 thousand school students have undergone professional diagnostics on the basis of the edunavigator.kz platform. In 66 universities and colleges 211 educational programmes based on the Atlas of New Professions have been introduced.
Competence centres have been established on the basis of local universities, which work from employer surveys to the development of regional maps and new training programmes for universities and colleges based on the Atlas of Professions. Such a model of interaction with employers on training issues is enshrined in the new Law "On Professional Qualifications" adopted last year.
Pavlodar region was one of the first to introduce the regional atlas. The slide shows the region's experience, stages of localisation. Within the framework of the Atlas implementation, 20 enterprises and 15 pilot colleges interacted. As a result, 25 new training programmes were developed for 40 promising professions. Also, 41 teachers underwent internships at the enterprises. In 2022, 102 students will graduate, in 2025, 703 graduates are expected," the Minister of Science and Higher Education said.
The project "Mamandygym-bolashagym" has been implemented in 5 regions. By the end of this year the project will cover three more regions - Aktobe, Zhambyl region, Almaty. By the end of 2025 - Atyrau, Kostanay, Turkestan, Ulytau and Zhetisu. In the remaining regions, the project is at the development stage.
According to Sayasat Nurbek, taking into account the introduction of academic independence colleges together with employers are developing educational programmes. Aksu Higher Multidisciplinary College named after Zhayau Musa has developed educational programmes. Zhaiau Musa Higher Multidisciplinary College named after Zhaiau Musa introduced changes to professional modules in the working curriculum taking into account the results of training in the new profession "Manager of Reliability of Electrical Equipment".
Teachers of colleges routinely undergo training at the enterprises of social partners. The teachers of the Khromtau Mining and Technical Higher College were trained in the basics of drone control and post-flight data processing using specialised software. To transfer academic knowledge and new technologies to industry, the ministry has identified 25 Centres of Academic and Research Excellence based on 17 regional, three national and five pedagogical universities," Science and Higher Education Minister Sayasat Nurbek said.
According to the Minister, for each macro-region within the framework of the CAIP, priority specialities have been identified, taking into account specialisation and strategic directions of development, and higher education institutions have been assigned to strengthen partnerships with colleges.
In addition, the new Law "On Science and Technology Policy" creates conditions for the development of regional science, which will create an ecosystem of college - university - enterprise. Already now 30 leading universities of the country have established partnerships with almost 100 colleges implementing related educational programmes. For example, Satbayev University and Kazakhmys LLP signed an agreement, under which they agreed on the training paths of Kazakhmys LLP and Satbayev University colleges on such educational programmes as: ‘Energy’, ‘Metallurgy and mineral processing’, ‘Mining engineering’, ‘Technological machinery and equipment’. College graduates have the opportunity to continue their studies at Satbayev University on a shortened programme," Sayasat Nurbek said.
In addition, on the basis of Atyrau University of Oil and Gas named after S. Utebayev an educational hub "West Hub" was created, which will significantly improve the quality of training of working specialities in the college through the introduction of advanced educational technologies.
Today, together with the Akimat of Atyrau region, the possibility of transferring the Atyrau College of Transport and Communication under the trust management of AUNG is being worked out.
In addition, Taraz Regional University named after M. Dulati is working with Kazphosphate LLP and Karatau Polytechnic College to train personnel in the chemical industry.
According to the Minister of Science, special attention will be paid to the synchronisation of educational programmes of universities and colleges in accordance with the National Qualifications Framework. In this case, UNT can become a mechanism for awarding grants to both universities and colleges.
As Sayasat Nurbek noted, synchronised educational programmes with accrued learning outcomes will allow college graduates to continue their studies on an accelerated course for higher education and enter the labour market with higher education.
This flexible approach systematises the career path of young people, creating alternative methods of entering the labour market. At the same time, the introduction of micro-qualifications and minor programmes will allow students to master qualifications in related fields sufficient to perform a separate job function. Employed specialists can master new competences in higher education institutions according to point requests of the labour market. This mechanism will be implemented, first of all, in the system of engineering and technical personnel training," the Minister of Science emphasised.
The Ministry is also developing a model of engineering education, which provides for a clear separation of learning outcomes of college and university graduates.
Further development and deepening of interaction between universities, colleges and enterprises of the regions in the field of professional training of in-demand specialists will continue on the basis of regional roadmaps," Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek summarised.
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