"Young professionals listen as Denis Pasler speaks about the role of youth in shaping the future, at the Working Youth Forum in Kačkanar"
In a bid to attract and retain young professionals in small towns, the Sverdlovsk region is implementing a multi-faceted approach that focuses on improving living and working conditions, career growth opportunities, and education.
Denis Pasler, the region's governor, recently highlighted the introduction of new support tools for youth, including one-time payments for student families, housing rental compensation, and subsidies for mortgage repayment. These measures, which have been in effect since June, are part of the region's efforts to create a conducive environment for young talent.
The region is also set to open another educational cluster under the "Professionalism" project in September, further bolstering its commitment to advanced vocational and engineering education. Large factories, such as the center for professional competencies in Kachkanar, are already training future specialists themselves, with students in Kachkanar learning mining industry skills and welcomed at the plant without significant experience.
The "Work on the Urals" youth forum, held in Kamensk-Uralsky from July 11 to 13, served as a platform for discussing and implementing projects aimed at improving conditions for youth. The forum was attended by young workers, engineers, volunteers, and trade union activists from regional enterprises spanning metallurgy to machine building.
Denis Pasler, the region's governor, emphasized the importance of involving key enterprises and supporting young talent, stating that "youth is the driving force and the future of Sverdlovsk Oblast and the whole country." The best solutions from the forum will be implemented in regional enterprises, with the forum expected to become an annual event.
The region's strategy also includes addressing skilled workforce shortages, especially in factories, by increasing the skill level of available workforce and inviting large numbers of qualified foreign workers, such as Indian skilled laborers, to supplement local talent pools.
In addition, initiatives focus on impactful career guidance programs for youth that expand awareness of industrial careers and provide work-related experiences, such as industrial tourism. These programs encourage youth to view careers in manufacturing and technical fields as viable and rewarding.
The Sverdlovsk region's approach aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals to ensure social justice and equitable opportunities, fostering an inclusive environment that meets the socio-economic needs of young professionals.
Over 500 participants from various cities in the Sverdlovsk region attended the forum, which included informal activities like climbing Mount Kolpaki, visiting the "Europe-Asia" obelisk, first aid training, thematic workshops, sports tournaments, and writing letters to soldiers of the SVO.
With an average age of residents at 41 last year, according to the Ministry of Health, the region's efforts are crucial in attracting and retaining young professionals, ensuring a vibrant and sustainable future for the region.
- The Sverdlovsk region's focus on education-and-self-development, reinforced by the opening of another educational cluster, aims to improve the skill level of the workforce for career-development opportunities.
- In line with personal-growth and job-search, the "Work on the Urals" youth forum offered platforms for discussing projects to improve conditions for young professionals, and the best solutions from the forum will be implemented in regional enterprises.
- In an effort to address policy-and-legislation matters, the region implemented measures such as one-time payments for student families, housing rental compensation, and subsidies for mortgage repayment as part of its strategy to attract and retain young professionals.
- To promote general-news and awareness of industrial careers, initiatives in the Sverdlovsk region focus on career guidance programs that provide work-related experiences and expand awareness of technical fields, encouraging youth to view such careers as viable and rewarding.
