Kazakhstan to remove 41 worker qualifications from college programs

September 20, 2026 at 04:53 PM2 min

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Kazakhstan plans to remove 41 worker qualifications from technical and vocational education programs, Education Minister Zhuldyz Suleimenova announced at a government meeting. The change responds to labor market transformation, with 125 professions classified as disappearing and over 200 new professions emerging.

Key Facts

Kazakhstan plans to remove 41 worker qualifications from technical and vocational education programs, Education Minister Zhuldyz Suleimenova said at a government meeting.
The Ministry of Education has classified 125 professions as disappearing, while over 200 new professions have emerged and about 100 are undergoing transformation.
Currently, 188 specialties and 352 worker qualifications are covered in the technical and vocational education system, with 14,494 educational programs in the registry.
By 2030, Kazakhstan's economy will need 225,000–256,000 specialists annually, with over 70% of the most in-demand professions belonging to technical and vocational education.
The highest demand for workers in 2025–2030 is expected in Almaty (about 35,600), Zhetisu region (33,300), Kyzylorda region (28,100), Kostanay region (24,200), and Astana (23,900).

Removal of Outdated Qualifications

The Ministry of Education is considering removing 41 worker qualifications from college training programs due to lack of demand. Among the qualifications slated for removal are blast furnace operator, refractory products molder, cold rolling mill operator, table salt production operator, potter, raw material mill machinist, and leather roller. Minister Suleimenova stated that 32 specialties, including 41 worker qualifications, may be removed due to lack of demand. Additionally, 66 educational programs that do not meet labor market requirements have been removed from the registry.

New Specialties and Labor Demand

The list of college specialties is being updated to meet new economic needs, with over 20 new specialties introduced in recent years. New specialties include robotics and embedded systems, technology of products based on nanomaterials, additive manufacturing technologies, remotely piloted aviation systems, and automated building design and operation systems. By 2035, personnel needs are projected at 183,000 in industry, 102,000 in construction, 73,000 in agriculture, and 12,000 in information technology. The ministry noted a gap between training volumes and labor market needs: construction currently trains 22,400 people against a projected need of 102,000, while agriculture trains 12,700 against a need of 73,000.