On September 29, Bishkek hosted a roundtable titled “Employer as a Key Partner of the Vocational Education and Employment System,” organized by the Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic together with the Ministry of Education and development partners. The discussion brought together representatives of government agencies, business associations, educational institutions, international organizations, and the Secretariat of the Business Development and Investments Council under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Current Situation
Around 27.9 thousand students are currently enrolled in vocational lyceums, with more than 12 thousand specialists graduating each year. The most in-demand fields are automotive and repair (21.6%), garment and textile production (18.4%), construction, services, and tourism. At the same time, the sector faces a number of challenges: lack of professional competencies, limited job opportunities in the regions, and restricted access to educational programs.

Uluk Kydyrbaev, Head of the Secretariat of the Council for Business and Investment Development under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, emphasized:
“Today, dozens of investment projects are being launched across different sectors in our country. But the question arises: do we have enough qualified specialists to implement and maintain them? In some cases, we are already forced to bring in workers from abroad. That is why it is critical to prepare experts with these projects in mind, so that domestic specialists can become the foundation of their successful implementation.”

During the roundtable, the Secretariat presented a set of initiatives, including:

• The use of the kesip.edu.gov.kg platform for certification and wage forecasting and development of online courses
• involvement of employers and practitioners in training processes;
• inventory of regional investment projects to anticipate future demand for skilled workers;
• programs to expand access to education, including support for students in remote areas.

Participants agreed that only close cooperation between business, government, and educational institutions can improve the quality of vocational training and provide young people with decent employment opportunities.