Unique conditions for training, employment and socialization of young people are being created in Almaty

Deputy Akim of Almaty Arman Kyrykbayev made a working detour through 4 youth facilities with the participation of the media: got acquainted with the progress of the repair work of the youth community center in Zhetysu district, the construction of a new dormitory of the Kazakh-British Technical University, visited the Center for Short-term training in relevant professions and opened a dormitory of the Almaty Technological University.

Almaty is a city of youth, where more than 682 thousand young people aged 14 to 35 years (32% of the total number of residents) live, of which 47.8 thousand are NEET youth. As part of the implementation of the instruction of the Head of State, 8 youth community centers will be launched by the end of 2023. By the end of 2025, their number will be increased to 16.

As Deputy Akim of Almaty Arman Kyrykbayev noted during the detour – in the future, community centers will become a place of attraction for young people, will bring work with the NEET category to a new level, will give the opportunity to keep their personal records. The concept of community centers developed within the framework of the project office of the Akimat of Almaty is to unite young people by interests, socio-cultural programming through educational, event, cultural and psychological programs of the centers.

"One of the significant problems in working with NEET youth is the complete lack of infrastructure. After our republic gained independence, new challenges appeared in working with young people. If the work with students and economically active youth is carried out within the walls of educational institutions and in places of employment, then the NEET category in fact remained overboard. Therefore, we pay special attention to this category of youth, in particular," Arman Kyrykbayev stressed.

In the community center under construction, the premises will be divided into zones, where TikTok zones, media space and interest circles, zones for consulting young people on various issues and open space, as well as offices of a psychologist and a lawyer, a room for negotiations, lectures, seminars, a classroom for teaching the Kazakh language and IT-space. The total area of the community centers to be built will be 300-500 sq.m.

Arman Kyrykbayev visited the KBTU dormitory under construction, which will provide 980 new beds, as well as a short-term training Center for relevant professions. According to the work schedule, the commissioning of the new dormitory is scheduled until the end of December 2023.

"We plan to reduce the shortage of places in student dormitories by 12 thousand by 2025 and by another 20 thousand places by 2030. I would like to emphasize that today there are 95 dormitories in the city, in which over 31 thousand students live. The deficit is more than 32 thousand beds. To effectively coordinate the work on the construction of dormitories in March this year, the Akimat together with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education launched a Project Office for the construction of dormitories, since its launch, more than 100 potential investors have contacted us," the deputy akim commented.

Within the framework of the Roadmap of the Almaty Development Program, construction of dormitories for 2 thousand beds is planned for the current year. As of today, 42 projects are already in operation, of which 28 involve the construction of new dormitories, 14 – the reconstruction of existing facilities for dormitories. According to the projects of 67 investors, land plots are being searched. By the end of the year, it is planned to put into operation 16 facilities for 3,939 beds, of which 6 facilities for 1,550 beds will be commissioned by the beginning of the school year through reconstruction. Thus, the plan will be exceeded by 2 times.

In turn, the rectors of the Kazakh-British Technical University and Almaty Technological University, who attended the detour, expressed gratitude for the fruitful work of the Project Office, which can be contacted for any questions regarding the construction of dormitories.

The Center for Short-term Training in relevant professions, located on the 1st floor of the International Educational Corporation, provides a unique platform that allows not only to gain knowledge in areas in demand in the labor market, but also to develop practical skills through intensive programs. Universities provide a theoretical base, colleges provide a laboratory base, and companies provide mentors who lead the student on an internship. As a result, the young man receives a certificate and a profession. "This approach not only increases our competitive advantages, but also enriches our personal and professional life," Arman Kyrykbayev believes.

Today, the center has launched 20 short-term courses: graphic design, SMM, mobilography, confectionery courses, barista courses, marketing, sales, call center operators, tour guides and others, about 4 thousand young people have been trained.

Information about courses and registration are available on the portal "Jasalmaty.kz " with the Jobfair365 employment platform. The peculiarity of the platform is that on a free basis you can not only find a job, but also take short–term courses with a certificate, which greatly simplifies the process of employment and training. Currently , the site contains
3.7 thousand vacancies and 1.5 thousand employers registered. In general, since the beginning of 2023, the akimat of the city has already employed 14 thousand young people. These measures made it possible to reduce the share of NEET youth from 8.3% (53.8 thousand) in the first quarter to 7.4% (47.8 thousand) in the second quarter of this year.

The working detour ended with the opening of a new dormitory of the Almaty Technological University. The university already has 4 dormitories for 1,9 thousand beds on its balance sheet. Today, a new dormitory has been launched, reconstructed from a family to a student one, for another 400 people. All rooms of the hostel meet the highest requirements for living conditions. Computer classes, recreation rooms, unlimited access to Wi-Fi and coworking centers are equipped for students. The hostel also has modern video surveillance systems and fire safety systems.