The Workforce Development Center (WDC) compiled a list of the top 25 job types that will be in demand from 2024 to 2030 in Kazakhstan, QazMonitor reports citing the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population.
Overall demand: The baseline scenario forecasts that the demand will total 1.9 million new job openings. These include jobs needed due to economic growth and jobs needed because of retirements or passings.
In the baseline scenario, about 1.1 million new jobs are needed due to growth, making up 58% of the total labor demand. About 800,000 jobs are needed to replace retiring or deceased workers, making up 42% of the demand. This shows the country's economy is growing, as outlined in its planning documents. The expected annual real GDP growth in this scenario is about 6%.
In the optimistic scenario, the WDC predicts a need for about 2.2 million workers in 7 years, a bit more than the baseline. But in the pessimistic scenario, the analysts expect a much lower demand of 1.2 million workers.
Distribution of demand: Urbanization is expected to keep growing across the country. The cities with the highest demand for workers are predicted to be Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent. Over the next 7 years, the demand in these cities is expected to rise from 295,000 to 574,000 people, making up about 25-26% of the total demand nationwide. On the other hand, the central, eastern, and northern regions will have the least demand for labor.
Demand for new hires will increase until it reaches its first peak, expected in 2027. At that point, the projected annual demand across the country will be 285,000 people. The next peak in demand for new hires is projected in 2030, with 288,000 people in the baseline scenario.
According to the National Classification of Occupations, the top 25 in-demand occupations are as follows:
1. Accountants – 93,000 people
2. Security guards, cash-in-transit providers, and related professions – 77,000 people
3. Store clerks and their assistants – 77,000 people
4. Drivers and chauffeurs – 44,000 people
5. High school teachers in social sciences – 35,000 people
6. Nursing staff – 33,000 people
7. Preschool teachers – 32,000 people
8. High school science teachers – 31,000 people
9. Office clerks – 30,000 people
10. Elementary school teachers – 26,000 people
11. Top management – 24,000 people
12. Agents in real estate and other property transactions – 24,000 people
13. Truck drivers – 24,000 people
14. Taxi drivers – 19,000 people
15. Cooks – 19,000 people
16. Welders – 17,000 people
17. Cooks in dining room establishments, except for fast-food chains – 17,000 people
18. Other high school profiles – 16,000 people
19. Managers of construction units – 15,000 people
20. Hairdressers – 13,000 people
21. On-site foremen overseeing assemblers, trowel men, painters – 13,000 people
22. Plumbers – 13,000 people
23. High school teachers in mathematics – 12,000 people
24. Farmers and mixed production workers – 12,000 people
25. Bus drivers – 12,000 people