"Universities have never been under such pressure": How can universities train their talent faster?

Contents:

• How education responds to labor market demands now
• What universities and colleges are already doing and what they plan to do

How education responds to labor market demands now

Before the start of the discussion at the forum, the Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov emphasized that today employers have significantly increased their requests to Universities are searching for qualified personnel. He noted that such strong pressure from the labor market on universities and the entire higher education system has not previously been observed. This underscores the importance of adapting educational programs to the demands of the modern market.

The pressure on universities has increased significantly in recent years, as explained by Sergey Roshchin, Vice Rector and Head of the Laboratory for Labor Market Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. According to him, "There are no people and there won't be!" This is due to the fact that Russia is facing a demographic crisis that will continue for the next twenty years. The generation that will have to enter the labor market during this time will be significantly smaller in number. As a result, higher education institutions are facing new challenges in training specialists, which requires a rethinking of educational programs and adaptation to changing conditions in the labor market.

According to information provided by Sergey Roshchin, there are currently approximately 1.5 million citizens aged 18 in Russia. For comparison, in 2006, this number was 2.6 million. Forecasts indicate that by 2030, the number of 18-year-olds will increase to approximately 1.9 million, but by 2040, it is expected to decline below current levels. It is also worth noting that the economically active age group 30-39 years old will continue to decline.

In recent years, many companies and industries have been facing a labor shortage, and this issue affects not only the IT sector, where, according to the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, there is a shortage of 500,000-700,000 specialists. According to Sergey Roshchin, if all the requests and forecasts are combined, it becomes clear that the Russian labor market requires more specialists than the population in the corresponding age groups. Therefore, finding the necessary number of workers is becoming an extremely difficult task.

The Vice-Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics identified the implementation of high-performance technologies as the only way out of the current situation. However, to successfully implement this task, the availability of highly qualified specialists is necessary. Therefore, training personnel with the appropriate skills should be a priority for the education system.

In Russian higher education, the situation with training highly qualified personnel varies depending on the specific university. Sergey Roshchin noted that statistical data, including the results of the All-Russian Graduate Employment Monitoring Survey, confirm this assertion. The quality of education and its relevance to labor market requirements vary significantly, creating diversity in the training of specialists. It is important to note that there is no unified system of higher education; instead, there are many types of universities, each offering different approaches to teaching and training.

The income gap between different types of higher education is clear. Full-time graduates typically earn more than their counterparts who completed distance learning programs. Graduates from prestigious universities also have higher incomes than those who received degrees from lesser-known universities. According to expert Sergei Roshchin, the gap in starting salaries among engineering graduates ranges from 45,000 to 200,000 rubles. This shows that diplomas are not equal in the labor market: employers prefer graduates with a high-quality education, which affects their earnings.

The gap in opportunities and resources between prestigious and non-selective universities, which admit students with a relatively low average Unified State Exam score (USE) of below 80, is only one of the problems. Sergey Roshchin emphasizes that the real "problem of modern education" is that the majority of Russian students begin working in their senior years, often in their field of study. This phenomenon points to the need to reform the education system so that students can focus on their studies and receive a quality education without the distractions of work.

Work in a modern environment is not limited to solving financial issues. Employees acquire skills and competencies that universities cannot fully provide. The Vice-Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics emphasized the importance of practical experience, which contributes to the development of professional skills and increased competitiveness in the labor market.

Students who combine study with work usually earn more after graduation than their peers who focused exclusively on study. This demonstrates that a university education, even at prestigious institutions, does not always provide sufficient preparation for a successful start in the labor market. Practical experience gained during studies plays a key role in improving career prospects and enhancing the competitiveness of graduates.

What universities and colleges are already doing and what they plan to do

In her speech, Alexandra Serova, Advisor to the General Director of the National Agency for Qualifications Development (NAQD), continued the theme of higher education differentiation. She noted that employers' demands for qualified personnel vary significantly across industries. This is confirmed by a NAQD survey conducted in 2023, during which representatives of more than 6,000 enterprises most often emphasized the need for graduates with the qualities of responsible executives. It is important for universities to adapt their educational programs to labor market demands, thereby ensuring a match between educational standards and employer needs.

The expert noted that preference is given to bachelors with specific skills, particularly in the area of ​​SPE competencies. The labor market does indeed see a high demand for management skills, creativity, and a variety of soft skills, but such requirements are typically only put forward by leading companies in their industries. For most mass-market employers, proactive and creative employees are not a priority.

The paradox is that it is leading companies that are able to provide the innovations the market needs to change the technological landscape and address the talent shortage. Alexandra Serova emphasizes the importance of higher education institutions focusing on the needs of these employers when training specialists. According to the NARK representative, an independent assessment of graduates' qualifications is an effective tool for incorporating employer requirements into educational programs. This mechanism has already been successfully implemented in more than 300 colleges and 33 universities, confirming its importance for improving the quality of education and ensuring its compliance with the requirements of the modern labor market.

Yelena Tumakova, Acting Director of the Department of State Policy in Higher Education at the Ministry of Education and Science, shared information on mechanisms for adapting educational programs to labor market demands. She outlined necessary measures to help students more quickly integrate into the professional environment, focusing on in-demand professions in industry and the social sector. The government is particularly concerned about the personnel shortage in these sectors. Some of the proposed initiatives are already available to universities participating in the higher education reform experiment, while others are under discussion. These measures are aimed at increasing the competitiveness of graduates and their successful employment.

The first measure is Flexible training durations. As part of an experiment conducted at the basic and specialized higher education levels, participating universities have already implemented various program durations for the same level. Elena Tumakova noted that this is an important tool for responding to labor market demands for the training of future specialists. This is especially relevant in cases where the training program is formally the same, but the profiles differ. For example, primary school teachers may study for four years, while subject teachers require five. However, it is important not to overuse flexibility, as employers cannot wait long, the Ministry of Education and Science representative emphasized.

Artificially extending training durations by overloading teachers and adding unnecessary courses to students is not an effective approach. It is important to focus on the truly essential knowledge and skills that students need in today's environment. Optimization of the educational process should be aimed at improving the quality of education, not increasing its duration unnecessarily.

The second aspect is variability in training durations for identical programs. This approach has been successfully implemented in the pilot project. Many experimental programs require a four- to six-year training program. Elena Tumakova cited the example of chemistry training: students can become chemical engineers in four years, while those focused on research can continue their studies within the same program. The final one or two years will focus on developing research competencies, allowing graduates to obtain higher qualifications. This approach promotes in-depth mastery of the specialty and increases graduates' competitiveness in the labor market.

The third option involves reducing the length of study for graduates of secondary vocational education (SVE). At the direction of the president, work is ongoing to develop a common mechanism for implementing this approach. Elena Tumakova noted that the issue was discussed separately with universities specializing in culture and the arts. It is expected that, with specialized education at the SVE level, the university's curriculum could be shortened to three or even two years. This innovation will effectively integrate students into the profession and improve the quality of the educational process.

The fourth measure being discussed in the educational sector involves introducing mandatory additional qualifications for university graduates. Specifically, it is proposed to integrate pedagogical disciplines into the training programs for physicists and chemists. This will allow graduates to be immediately prepared for work in schools, eliminating the need for additional pedagogical training. Such changes will help improve the quality of education and simplify the employment process for young specialists in the natural sciences.

The fifth proposal also concerns additional qualifications in vocational professions. Elena Tumakova asserts that university students can obtain such qualifications in the first two years of study. This allows them to begin working in their specialized field during their senior years, significantly increasing their competitiveness in the labor market.

The secondary vocational education (SVE) system is actively pursuing ideas to bring education and the labor market closer together, as noted by Natalia Kiseleva, Deputy Governor of the Tomsk Region for Education, Youth Policy, and Digital Development. These initiatives are developing faster than in higher education. As part of the "Professionalism" project, colleges are collaborating with employers to develop modern educational programs, enabling students to be better prepared for the demands of the labor market. A project has also been launched in the Tomsk Region that allows students to earn two diplomas simultaneously, training in two specialties. This innovation contributes to more effective training of personnel and increases the competitiveness of graduates in the labor market.

Natalia Kiseleva, who previously served as Deputy Head of the Moscow Department of Education and Science, believes that some vocational professions can be mastered not only in colleges or first-year university students, but also in pre-vocational 10th and 11th grades. This idea has a long history: in the past, high school students had industrial training centers (ITCs), where they could acquire skills and knowledge for simple vocational professions. Training at such centers contributed to the preparation of young specialists, an important step toward a successful professional career. In today's environment, the introduction of such a practice can significantly improve the quality of vocational education and enhance the competitiveness of graduates in the labor market. Natalia Kiseleva emphasizes that the prospects for the development of the education system depend on closer cooperation between universities, colleges, and schools. This collaboration will allow teenagers to better understand available professions and make more informed career choices. Deepening ties between educational institutions and the labor market will help develop qualified personnel that meet modern requirements.