Today, on July 15, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting to discuss the improvement of the system of continuous professional education.

Currently, large-scale efforts are underway across spheres and industries in Uzbekistan. New enterprises are being commissioned, social infrastructure is developing. There are still big plans and goals to be realized in the future.

All this increases demand for professionals, for qualified specialists play a decisive role in the development of any sphere, the execution of diverse projects.

To this end, the education system is being modernized, latest forms and learning technologies are being introduced. In the regions, new educational institutions are opening, including branches of foreign universities, and conditions are being created for training specialists in demand.

On July 11 this year, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan signed a decree on measures to reform management in the sphere of higher and secondary special education. It defines in particular the tasks for perfecting the system of vocational education.

Currently, the labor market offers 9,145 specialties and positions, and 6,228 of them require secondary special qualification.

The meeting participants deliberated on the effective organization of a system of training mid-level professionals and personnel of working professions.

The challenge is to establish – on the basis of colleges – a new network of professional education.

Specialists will be trained in these institutions with the help of programs of primary, secondary and secondary specialized vocational education. Duration of study will differ, based on the complexity of knowledge, competencies and skills necessary to master the profession.

It was noted at the meeting that prior to the introduction of this system, it is essential to craft its methodological base, update educational programs proceeding from international requirements, prepare, retrain and improve the qualifications of teachers and industrial training masters. The President urged the officials to elaborate proposals for stimulating the interest of young people in the acquisition of professions.

The head of state highlighted the issue of adapting the new vocational education system to the requirements of the labor market.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed that unemployment is observed locally and, at the same time, there is a great demand for specialists in working professions. Thus, the textile industry experiences shortage of 46 thousand professionals, the construction industry – of 104 thousand specialists, the metalworking sector feels demand for 71 thousand, while the services industry needs people for 67 thousand positions. This is a consequence of the lack of close interaction between education and production.

In this regard, Uzbekistan’s leader indicated that the main criterion for assessing the effectiveness of educational institutions should be the prospective employment of graduates or their opening of own business.

The President instructed to finalize the proposed measures regarding the new vocational training system.