Technology Renders Routine Jobs Obsolete
East Kazakhstan's job market transforms as automation and green tech rise
Hundreds of new professions are emerging, while roughly the same number are transforming or disappearing—this is how the labor market in East Kazakhstan Region (VKO) is evolving, according to the regional workforce demand map.
Labor Market in Urgent Need of Skilled Workers
The 119-page document is the result of nearly two years of work by the Mamandyruly-Balasharuly project office. Irina Rovnyakova, Vice-Rector for Strategic Development and International Cooperation at S. Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University, explained that the working group's first task was to analyze five key economic sectors in the region: metallurgy, agriculture, energy, tourism, and education. Experts surveyed employers and residents, consulted with company executives, and conducted online assessments of roughly 4,500 ninth-graders.
Long-term trends were identified, and future industry landscapes were modeled. Healthcare and energy are already facing severe labor shortages, while machinery, instrumentation, geology, mining and metallurgy, manufacturing, construction, and education are also struggling with a lack of specialists. Meanwhile, a survey of schoolchildren revealed that only one-third of ninth-grade graduates (about 1,500 students) plan to enroll in college, while 76 teens said they do not intend to continue their education after school, opting instead for work or military service. The majority—nearly 2,300 students—expressed plans to pursue university degrees after the 11th grade.
"Companies are adopting digital systems, artificial intelligence, and automating processes," Rovnyakova noted. "Technology is rapidly transforming the professional landscape, and some occupations may vanish by 2030–2032. Employers snap up graduates from specialized colleges and universities almost immediately. Everyone needs IT-savvy professionals, but unfortunately, the education system is lagging behind. The traditional subject-based learning model still dominates, with gaps in both fundamental knowledge and hands-on training."
According to forecasts from the regional Mamandyruly-Balasharuly office, new enterprises—including those focused on extracting and processing rare and rare-earth metals—will emerge in eastern Kazakhstan over the next five to ten years. In line with the Environmental Code, these will be built on cutting-edge green technologies. Within five or six years, traditional foundry workers—those shouting near blast furnaces—will disappear from both old and new casting shops.
Additionally, occupations tied to manual machine operation are becoming a thing of the past, as factories increasingly replace them with robots and automated production lines.
Employers Are Already Seeking a New Breed of Specialists
The labor market now demands professionals in emerging fields: hydrogen-based iron reduction engineers, AI specialists, VR developers, robotics engineers, and bioinformatics experts. Another four occupations are undergoing major upgrades: geologists are becoming digital geology specialists, fitters are transitioning into digital equipment maintenance mechanics, smelters are evolving into electric arc furnace and automated smelting system operators, and metallurgists are transforming into eco-metallurgists.
The energy sector appears to be undergoing its own transformation. As noted by Yerbolat Alpiyev, director of the East Kazakhstan branch of Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC), the company faces a severe shortage of operational staff—from electricians to heavy machinery drivers—and AI specialists will soon be added to that list.
"The region's energy sector needs next-generation professionals: digital substation specialists and automated dispatch system experts," the executive clarified. "We expect the vocational education system to also train engineers in renewable energy integration, as well as environmental specialists well-versed in carbon regulation. In the near future, smart energy and grid management experts, along with drone operators for power line maintenance and inspection, will be in high demand."
The regional labor landscape in agriculture presents an interesting picture. Experts highlight key areas such as aquaculture, deep agricultural processing, water-saving technologies, and organic farming—particularly beekeeping. Farms are already competing for professionals with expertise in both agronomy and IT, as well as engineers skilled in smart agricultural machinery. They are also seeking candidates for entirely new roles, including agronomist-economists, agricultural machinery navigator-operators, and accountants proficient in automated systems.
"Automation Is Phasing Out Routine Jobs"
"Automation is eliminating routine occupations," emphasized a vice-rector of East Kazakhstan University (VKU). "Even in traditionally conservative agriculture, IT specialists and mechanization engineers are now in demand instead of livestock technicians and herdsmen. Jobs that can be easily managed by software and smart systems—minimizing human involvement—are disappearing."
Across five key economic sectors in the region, the occupational map now includes 49 new professions, 29 transformed roles, and 24 fading jobs. Factoring in other industries—such as construction or forestry—makes it clear that the list is far more extensive.
To address the shortage of modern specialists, the Project Office has proposed a systematic approach to career guidance. Education authorities are urged to organize more profession-themed festivals, outreach sessions in rural schools, quizzes, and interactive quests for teenagers, while high school students should be offered tours of industrial facilities, scientific labs, and training centers.
Universities and colleges have been advised to visit classrooms more often, counsel graduates, take part in parent-teacher meetings, and discuss employment prospects...
