On October 8-9, 2024, the International Youth Forum of Working Professions titled “The Evolution of Labor: Climate, Competencies, Code” took place in Astana, gathering representatives from 28 working professions across various industries and regions of Kazakhstan, as well as from fraternal countries—Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Organized by the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the format of the KELESHEK CAMP youth camp, the forum provided a platform for young workers to engage in dialogue about the future of labor and tackle the challenges they face.
In his welcoming speech, the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan, Satylbaldy Dauletalin, addressed the future of working professions and the role of youth in the country’s development.
“The world is changing rapidly. Technology is advancing at an incredible pace, and climate challenges require new solutions. In these circumstances, the role of working professions becomes more significant than ever before,” said Satylbaldy Dauletalin.
He emphasized the importance of working professions in the context of global changes and the need for highly skilled personnel to drive the country’s development.
“Today, Kazakhstan needs workers with the capacity to shape a fundamentally new type of social and economic system,” the head of the FPRK stated.
He also highlighted the existing issue of declining prestige of working professions and the challenges in recruiting young workers into the labor force.
“In recent periods, the working class as a concept and subject of study has almost disappeared. It is absent from the media, scarcely mentioned in academic articles, and no longer discussed in society. All this leads to a decrease in the value of working careers in the minds of young people,” emphasized the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions.
He called on the working youth to rethink the role of the working class and actively promote the ideas of a “Fair Kazakhstan,” where, according to him, every citizen can fulfill their potential, live and work in decent conditions based on principles of social justice, economic prosperity, and political stability.
“The announcement by the Head of State of 2025 as the Year of Working Professions is a critical step, signaling that the Worker is the foundation of the country’s prosperity. Real support for the Worker begins with respect and recognition of their valuable labor,” added the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan.
In his speech, he identified several key issues hindering the prestige of working professions.
“A persistent notion in public consciousness portrays working professions as socially unviable and devalued. The trend toward higher education, high social status, and ‘office’ jobs has become widespread among today’s youth, while industrial work faces mass rejection,” he noted.
Addressing the importance of the issue, Satylbaldy Dauletalin emphasized that addressing the problem should not only involve increasing wages but also equalizing the prestige of various professions and eliminating imbalances in the social perception of occupations requiring different levels of education.
To change stereotypes about working professions, the head of the FPRK called for enhanced educational efforts with a career guidance focus.
“Examples of successful working biographies, stories about professions, and various types of production are needed,” he said.
He assured that the Federation of Trade Unions would always support youth initiatives, assist them in achieving their goals, and do everything possible to ensure that working professions thrive in Kazakhstan.
Further discussions on the future of working professions in Kazakhstan continued with a greeting from the First Vice-Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Akmadi Sarbasov, who emphasized that education should not just be a tool for obtaining a profession but also an essential social elevator that opens new opportunities for all social strata.
“Vocational education should be conducted at a socio-political level. We believe that vocational education will be viewed as an effective social elevator by youth, parents, and society as a whole,” stated Akmadi Sarbasov.
The Vice-Minister also noted that the state should create all necessary conditions to ensure that vocational education is accessible and of high quality.
The current issues of the role of artificial intelligence and digitalization in the world of working professions were raised by Member of Parliament Ekaterina Smyshlyaeva.
She emphasized that artificial intelligence has become the main driving force in the technological race in today’s world.
Ekaterina Smyshlyaeva highlighted several key challenges that will inevitably arise in the labor sphere in the near future.
Firstly, the issue concerns the imbalance between workers’ rights and employers’ interests.
“Artificial intelligence significantly increases labor productivity, but it cannot provide adequate material compensation to workers, especially in the field of intellectual labor. The question arises about maintaining the balance between human and technological labor,” Ekaterina Smyshlyaeva pointed out important aspects of monitoring and oversight of AI use in the labor sphere.
According to her, the solution to the stated problems lies in creating new standards for regulating AI and digitalization issues in the labor sphere and proactively addressing these challenges.
The necessity of adapting working professions to the rapidly changing conditions of the modern world was noted in the speech of Kairat Kambarov, Chairman of the Youth and Family Affairs Committee of the Ministry of Culture and Information.
He emphasized that working professions are the foundation of Kazakhstan’s stability and progress, and youth play a key role in their development in a fast-changing world. According to him, new technologies require new approaches, the acquisition of new skills and competencies, and the importance of considering environmental issues in the modern world.
A special message on the role of trade unions in protecting the rights of youth in the context of global changes was shared by Goda Neverauskaite, Senior Advisor at the Pan-European Regional Council of the International Trade Union Confederation, in a video address to the forum delegates. The international expert noted that today’s youth are very focused on the digital economy and digitalization of the platform economy.
“Unfortunately, youth is the first group to fall under the influence of the platform economy and informal jobs. It is crucial to unite efforts to identify problems, share experiences from different countries, and protect the rights of workers, especially those who fall into the ‘labor traps’ of the platform economy,” stressed Goda Neverauskaite.
She also spoke about the work of the Youth Committee of the ITUC.
“At the last conference in Istanbul in 2022, a number of priorities were set: a fair transition to a green economy, issues of the platform economy, solidarity and democratic companies, updating trade unions, and attracting new members,” she stated.
Ayan Salimgereev, Chairman of the “Keleshek” Youth Council of the FPRK, elaborated on the challenges of trade union support for youth amid global changes.
He outlined two main challenges: climate change and the development of artificial intelligence, urging youth to actively participate in efforts for a transition to environmentally friendly production and sustainable development.
The youth leader emphasized the need for retraining and upskilling programs for young people so they are prepared for the challenges of tomorrow. He also highlighted the importance of collective agreements and regional contracts in supporting youth.
“Social partnership documents at all levels—the General Agreement, sectoral and regional agreements, and, of course, collective bargaining agreements—are the main tools for advancing workers’ interests in general and working youth in particular,” said Ayan Salimgereev.
Advisor on international relations of the Azerbaijan Trade Union Confederation, Fuad Alakbarov, shared his country’s trade union experience. According to him, the Azerbaijan Trade Union Confederation continues to provide ongoing support to youth to enhance their competitiveness, professional development, and skills improvement.
The press secretary of the Federation of Professional Unions of Kyrgyzstan, Altynai Jumabekova, presented the development experience of the youth trade union movement in Kyrgyzstan.
“The Youth Council of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kyrgyzstan is a dynamic and actively developing organization representing the interests of young union members in Kyrgyzstan. We strive to create a platform for self-realization, training, and development for young people, as well as to ensure their participation in decision-making regarding labor rights and social issues,” said Jumabekova.
The transformation of the labor market in the modern world was also addressed by Umed Kamalov, Chairman of the Trade Union of Education Workers of Gissar, Republic of Tajikistan.
He urged colleagues to create new forms of solidarity and cooperation.
“Trade unions must actively participate in educational programs and qualifications revisions to ensure that their members acquire the appropriate skills,” said Umed Kamalov.
Izzatilla Orifjonov, Chief Specialist of the Information and Analytical Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan, spoke on the labor market situation in the era of the green economy and digitalization.
“A key component of the green economy is the rational use of renewable energy sources. Uzbekistan has enormous potential in this regard. In addition, modern research in renewable energy sources should be conducted,” he added.
2024 Olympic champion, silver medalist of the 2016 Rio Olympics, bronze medalist of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, 2015 World Champion, 2016 Asian Champion, and 2014 Asian Games winner Yeldos Smetov extended his best wishes to the forum’s delegates and participants. He congratulated everyone on the upcoming Trade Union Day, noting that youth are the driving force behind the country’s progress.
“Youth contribute greatly to the prosperity, development, and growth of our country. The future of the country depends on our generation,” he said in his video message.
A sign of impending changes in Kazakhstan’s labor market was noted in the speech by Daulet Argandykov, President of the JSC Center for Labor Resources Development.
According to him, the youth population is expected to exceed 5.9 million by 2030, an increase of 10% over 2022.
“The peak proportion of youth in the population is projected for 2040 when it will make up approximately 31%,” he added, referring to an ongoing demographic boom that will inevitably lead to changes in the labor market. Overall, more than 10 million people are expected to enter the labor market from 2023 to 2050,” he emphasized.
The speaker also highlighted issues of inequality and the mismatch between education and labor market demands.
“The wages of men in the highest-paid professions are at least twice those of women. The wage gap between youth and the adult population varies by sector. 21% of young specialists in Kazakhstan work outside their field of study,” reported the head of the CRLD.
He stressed the importance of developing soft skills—interpersonal skills, communication, critical thinking, and creativity.
Aisulu Erniyazova, Director of the Youth Research Center, raised the pertinent topic of “Youth Career Tracks.”
She stated that Kazakhstan faces a shortage of specialists in promising fields: construction (15,526 vacancies), agriculture, forestry, and fisheries (13,547 vacancies), and transportation and storage (9,429 vacancies).
“The 2023 study ‘Youth in the Labor Market: Demand, Opportunities, and Prospects’ showed that 25.5% of youth work outside their field of study, with most reporting that their professional activities do not align with their education,” said the expert.
She agreed on the need to adapt educational programs to new realities and create a support system for easier navigation of modern career paths.
The forum’s theme of artificial intelligence integration continued with the presentation of a “Trade Union Neuroassistant,” designed to simplify access to information on labor rights and assist workers in resolving disputes. The AI assistant is ready to answer any questions about labor legislation, help with labor disputes, and provide information on trade unions.
The key initiatives of the young generation of workers and their demands on Kazakhstan’s labor relations system were reflected in the forum’s Final Resolution.
The forum participants stressed the importance of supporting the government’s initiative to enhance the prestige of working professions and specialists.
The resolution proposes key steps to ensure decent working conditions and social protection for young representatives of working professions: promoting the principles of decent work among youth, supporting youth in choosing working professions, developing green jobs during a fair transition, and fostering cooperation between trade unions, government bodies, and employers to create sustainable jobs that meet international standards.
Following the plenary session, workshops, training sessions, and networking events were organized for participants to learn PR, SMM, and working with artificial intelligence skills.
The forum summed up with a vibrant program where young workers sang songs by the campfire in an atmosphere of friendly cooperation and showcased their talents in creative competitions.
Media Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan