CERR, GIZ and HELVETAS Launch an Analytical Platform to Forecast Uzbekistan’s Workforce Needs

The document was signed by GIZ Project Manager Matthias Klingenberg, HELVETAS Uzbekistan Project Manager Simona Strasburger, and CERR Deputy Director Nozimjon Ortikov.

The Memorandum provides for the establishment of a specialized analytical platform at CERR, which will coordinate research in the areas of vocational and dual education, employment, and the economy’s demand for skilled workers.

A comprehensive approach to collecting and analyzing statistical data will make it possible to assess trends in the supply of and demand for skilled workers over a period of up to three years. The research findings will be used to prepare recommendations for vocational education institutions concerning student enrolment and graduate output, the updating of curricula, and the reduction of the risk of mismatches between the needs of the economy and workforce training.

The partnership builds on initiatives supporting vocational education reform implemented by GIZ and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The joint work is aimed at further developing a data-driven decision-making system in Uzbekistan that responds to the actual needs of the labor market.

Amid technological change and shifts in the structure of employment, the alignment of professional skills with employers’ requirements is becoming an important factor in sustainable economic development. For the vocational education system, regular assessments of workforce demand, qualification analysis, and forecasting of future competencies are becoming increasingly important.

Within the framework of the platform, research is planned on labor market trends, the demand for specialists across different sectors of the economy, the alignment of qualifications with employers’ requirements, the effectiveness of dual education, and future demand for new professional skills.

At the initial stage, the main focus will be on analyzing the mismatch between available and required qualifications, trends in labor demand, and the structure of employment. The platform will also assess the costs and benefits of dual education, monitor online job vacancies, and prepare forecasts of future competencies.

A separate area of research will examine the impact of artificial intelligence and new technologies on the labor market. The findings will be used to prepare recommendations for aligning curricula with employers’ requirements and long-term changes in the structure of the economy.

The cooperation also provides for the exchange of international experience, the introduction of modern research methods, and capacity-building for local specialists. The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training of Germany (BIBB), the Swiss-based international network CEMETS Global, as well as other research organizations and specialized partners, are expected to be involved in this work.

The signing of the Memorandum will strengthen the analytical support for vocational education reforms in Uzbekistan. Regular assessments of labor market needs, skills forecasting, and the involvement of international partners will contribute to more accurate workforce training for the economy.

For reference

SDC is Switzerland’s government agency for international cooperation. The agency implements cooperation programs in 34 countries.

BIBB is Germany’s scientific and methodological center for vocational education and training. The Institute studies the labor market and demand for qualifications and also contributes to the development of standards for more than 300 recognized occupations.

CEMETS Global is an international center for education system reform at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich).

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