ANALYSIS OF KAZAKHSTAN'S GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS IN THE CONTEXT OF LABOR MARKET TRANSFORMATION

АНАЛИЗ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫХ ПРОГРАММ КАЗАХСТАНА В УСЛОВИЯХ ТРАНСФОРМАЦИИ РЫНКА ТРУДА

Шерхан Шапағат Ереханқызы

магистр, Институт экономики КН МНВО РК,

 Казахстан, Алматы

ABSTRACT

This paper analyzes ways to strategically strengthen Kazakhstan's workforce by examining government initiatives aimed at expanding employment opportunities, improving human resources, and introducing digital technologies into employment. The study revealed that despite the variety of government support tools, urgent problems remain: a mismatch between the needs of employers and the supply of candidates, insufficient qualifications of the workforce, as well as an uneven distribution of jobs between regions. The paper identifies critical shortcomings in the implementation of employment, including the lack of regular evaluation of the effectiveness of programs and the need to bring the content of education in line with the rapidly transforming demands of employers. Based on the results obtained, the authors propose a set of measures to eliminate the identified shortcomings. Their implementation will contribute to improving the quality of the Kazakh workforce, ensure balanced development of all regions of the country and create prerequisites for long-term economic progress.

АННОТАЦИЯ

В данной работе анализируются пути стратегического укрепления рабочей силы Казахстана на примере государственных инициатив, направленных на расширение возможностей трудоустройства, повышение квалификации кадров и внедрение цифровых технологий в сферу занятости. Исследование показало, что, несмотря на разнообразие инструментов государственной поддержки, сохраняются актуальные проблемы: несоответствие потребностей работодателей и предложения кандидатов, недостаточная квалификация рабочей силы, а также неравномерное распределение рабочих мест между регионами. В работе выявлены критические недостатки в реализации программ занятости, в том числе отсутствие регулярной оценки эффективности программ и необходимость приведения содержания образования в соответствие с быстро меняющимися требованиями работодателей. На основе полученных результатов авторы предлагают комплекс мер по устранению выявленных недостатков. Их реализация будет способствовать повышению качества рабочей силы Казахстана, обеспечению сбалансированного развития всех регионов страны и созданию предпосылок для долгосрочного экономического прогресса.

Keywords: human resources, strategic development, labor market, state programs, digitalization.

Ключевые слова: человеческие ресурсы, стратегическое развитие, рынок труда, государственные программы, цифровизация.

In the era of global economic transformations and increasing competition in the global market for highly professional workers, Kazakhstan is intensively implementing state-level initiatives aimed at strengthening and developing its labor potential.

The relevance of this study is due to the requirement to bring Kazakhstan's HR strategy in line with modern realities and threats, such as the introduction of digital technologies, integration into the global economy, employment transformation and robotization of economic processes. In the conditions of the fourth stage of industrial development, the success of the national economy is crucially determined by the degree of professional training of personnel and their ability to quickly adapt to changes.

The main objective of the study is a comprehensive study and assessment of the effectiveness of the strategic human resource management system in Kazakhstan, the identification of existing obstacles and the formulation of proposals aimed at improving government actions in this area.

The research is based on an integrated approach that combines the principles of strategic management, methods of macroeconomic research and tools of government regulation. As part of the work, a comprehensive analysis of government initiatives and programs was carried out, their interconnectedness and impact on the development of the national economy were studied, and various state strategic programs were compared with each other.

The National Development Plan of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2025 was a strategic document aimed at ensuring sustainable economic growth, improving the well-being of citizens and modernizing key areas of the economy and public administration. The plan is integrated into the long-term strategy "Kazakhstan-2050" and is focused on achieving national priorities, including economic diversification, human capital development and improvement of the institutional environment [1]. One of the most important tools for monitoring the implementation of this plan is the state audit, which ensures transparency, accountability and effectiveness of government programs.

The Kazakhstan Labor Market Development Concept for 2024-2029 is aimed at creating an effective, inclusive and sustainable labor market that promotes economic growth and well-being of the population. The main objectives include improving the quality of the workforce, developing flexible employment mechanisms, and digitalizing regulatory processes. State audit plays a key role in monitoring the implementation of the concept, ensuring transparency and efficient use of resources.

Digitalization of employment includes the creation of online job search platforms, the use of blockchain to record work experience, and the automation of interaction between job seekers, employers, and government agencies. The audit evaluates the effectiveness of digital solutions and their impact on employment [2].

The state program for the development of productive employment and mass entrepreneurship "Enbek" for 2017-2021 was one of the key instruments of state policy in the field of employment and support for entrepreneurial initiatives. The main goal of the program was to promote productive employment of the population and involve citizens in entrepreneurial activities through access to education, retraining and support for business initiatives [3].

The program was aimed at developing human capital and increasing the economic activity of the population. The main tasks included training personnel with technical and vocational education adapted to the requirements of the labor market. To do this, they introduced free training for young people and socially vulnerable groups, short-term courses to acquire sought-after skills, and retraining of laid-off workers.

An important component was the Bastau Business project, aimed at developing entrepreneurship through training and financing business initiatives. The State audit monitored the efficiency of spending and the achievement of targets.

The program also supported the self-employed, stimulated labor mobility, and developed the infrastructure of employment centers using digital solutions. The audit assessed the impact of these measures on the employment structure and the level of satisfaction of the population. The results of the program: more than 150,000 jobs were created, unemployment was reduced, 150,000 people were trained at Bastau Business (40,000 received funding), 300,000 people completed short-term courses (70% were employed), 500,000 self-employed were formalized.

The program faced challenges: the uneven distribution of jobs by region and the underemployment of graduates. The State audit revealed the need to improve forecasting of personnel needs and strengthen monitoring of the effectiveness of measures to create sustainable jobs and increase the competitiveness of labor resources.

The Digital Kazakhstan State Program has become a strategic initiative aimed at accelerating the introduction of digital technologies in all areas of the economy and public administration. The main goal of the program was to increase the competitiveness of the national economy, develop digital infrastructure, form an innovative ecosystem and ensure digital literacy of the population. For an objective assessment of its effectiveness, a state audit was conducted, which made it possible to identify the results achieved, systemic problems and to propose recommendations for further improvement of digital transformation in the country.

An analysis of the digital infrastructure showed that by 2020, fiber-optic communication lines had been laid in 741 settlements, providing Internet access for 800,000 people. In a number of remote regions, digital inequality persists due to poor communication quality and high cost of Internet services. This factor hinders the development of e-business, distance education, and digital services, which requires additional measures to address infrastructure gaps [4].

Digitalization of public administration has become an important part of the program, as a result of which 83% of public services have been converted to electronic format by 2020. This has helped to reduce administrative barriers and increase the transparency of citizens' interaction with government agencies. A government audit has shown that a number of digital services are not functioning efficiently enough, and users often encounter technical failures and difficulties in using them. To improve the quality of electronic public services, further optimization of the IT infrastructure and the development of feedback mechanisms with citizens are necessary.

One of the priorities of the program was the development of human capital through increasing the digital literacy of the population. Implementation of educational programs on information and communication technologies in schools and universities, as well as the organization of courses for adults have contributed to the growth of digital competencies among the population. The audit revealed that the training of specialists in the field of digital technologies does not always meet the real requirements of the labor market. As a result, graduates of educational programs have difficulty finding employment, and employers continue to experience a shortage of qualified personnel. This indicates the need to revise educational standards to meet the needs of the digital economy.

According to the audit results, the Digital Kazakhstan program has demonstrated significant progress in the digitalization of the economy and public administration, however, the identified shortcomings indicate the need for further work to eliminate digital inequality, improve public services, modernize the education system and strengthen support for innovative entrepreneurship. An important area is to increase the efficiency of spending public funds on digitalization, as well as monitoring the achievement of set targets.

Thus, the state audit allowed us to evaluate not only the successful aspects of the program, but also to identify key barriers hindering digital transformation. The implementation of the proposed recommendations will allow Kazakhstan to increase the level of digital maturity, ensure the sustainable development of an innovative economy and strengthen the country's competitive position in the global digital technology market.

By decree of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, 2026 has been officially declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The main goal is a large—scale transition from pilot AI projects to the widespread introduction of advanced technologies in all basic sectors of the economy [5].

The strategic development of Kazakhstan's human resources is an important element of long—term socio-economic growth. The State policy is aimed at sustainable development, economic diversification and improving the welfare of the population. Government programs have contributed to reducing unemployment, developing small businesses, and modernizing the personnel training system.

For sustainable growth, it is necessary to strengthen the flexibility of vocational education, including dual training and online platforms, develop regional employment programs to evenly distribute jobs, continue the digital transformation of the labor market using AI and Big Data, and improve monitoring and evaluation of government programs to quickly adjust strategies.

These measures will help create a competitive and adaptive labor market capable of responding to the challenges of the digital economy and globalization, ensuring long-term growth and improving the quality of life of the population.

Source of funding: The article was prepared within the framework of the program-targeted funding of the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan IRN BR28713593 "Sustainable development of the economy of Kazakhstan in the context of new challenges: foresight, strategies and scenarios of modernization".

References:

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