06.05.2019-12.05.2019 • No: 210

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WHAT JOBS WILL BE IN DEMAND IN THE FUTURE?

In recent years, not only experts and analysts pickers, fitters, and other existing special- energy production sector, but also workers in the field of industrial and economic de- ties. Experts at the Russian HR Develop- engaged in the construction, installation, op- velopment, but also people less knowledge- ment recruitment agency believe that in the eration and maintenance of alternative elec- able in this area – parliamentarians, journal- coming years specialties related to robotics, trical networks. This sector also includes ists, bloggers, and participants in all kinds of innovative crop cultivation and harvesting, workers who produce components for the public debates, have spoken about the future and new industrial technologies will be the production of clean energy, such as wind challenges in the labor market, such as the most promising. Workers will not be needed turbines, solar photovoltaic panels, trans- reduction, and even disappearance, of cer- as much as IT specialists and engineers who formers, batteries, and meter readers, as well tain professions and specialties due to the will write software for robots and be respon- as office workers, operations managers, and automation and robotization of jobs. This is sible for their maintenance since robots will other business operations specialists. quite understandable. do most of mechanized work. In the energy efficiency sector, which pro- It seems that these two positions can be rec- The fear that automation would destroy mil- duces new products, the production of the lions of jobs and thereby deprive a tremen- onciled – artificial intelligence and ad- vanced robotics will require basic techno- widest range is involved – from home appli- dous number of people of their earnings pe- ances to cars, as well as the construction in- riodically arose in industrialized countries logical skills from all groups of specialists, dustry as one of the largest energy consum- earlier, in particular, in Britain in the middle including ordinary workers without a higher of the 19th century, with the Luddites insist- education diploma. Yet, if we leave aside ers. Here we need electricians and mechan- ently and loudly speaking about this threat. such exotic professions as a drone pilot, who ics of ventilation and air conditioning sys- The panic waves over automation were ob- should be trained first in countries that are tems, architects, civil engineers, and busi- served in the middle of the 20th century in not technologically advanced? Each country ness experts. Europe and the United States. However, lost apparently has its own priorities. For Ka- The environmental management sector reg- zakhstan, there is an urgent need for the de- jobs were always replaced by new ones: the ulates environmental issues and is responsi- increase in labor productivity through auto- velopment of a clean energy economy, which, if effectively promoted, can provide ble for reducing greenhouse gas emissions mation reduced costs and prices of goods and promoting the efficient use of energy and services, and consumers began to buy employment opportunities for a considera- and the preservation of natural resources. more products than before, which, in turn, ble quantity of workforce, from unique created new jobs. working professions to supporting services, Waste treatment specialists, collectors, op- According to the Future of Jobs Report 2018 giving them an opportunity to participate in erators of wastewater treatment plants, envi- by the World Economic Forum, 75 million creating a safer, inclusive and sustainable ronmental protection workers, environmen- jobs are expected to disappear by 2022 in 20 society. talists, engineers, technicians and city plan- major countries. At the same time, the report Green economy is based on zero-carbon en- ners, as well as legislators and regulators re- gives an optimistic forecast that the techno- ergy sources, develops energy-efficient products and works under more environ- sponsible for legal aspects, are included in logical progress may also create 133 million the cohort of relevant specialists in this sec- new jobs thanks to the “new division of la- mentally friendly standards, thus it is most socially oriented. This is particularly im- tor. bor between humans, machines and algo- In total, U.S. clean energy researchers iden- rithms”. The set of skills required for both portant for Kazakhstan, especially after the old and new professions will change in most recently held EXPO-2017, which focused tified 113 different professions in the pro- industries, transforming work methods and on the theme of “Energy of the Future”. The duction of clean energy, which gave their environments. In order to benefit from such government was tasked with meeting half of country about 1.3 million jobs; 172 profes- changes, at least 54% of all employees will domestic energy needs using renewable sions for energy efficiency, which provided need retraining and advanced training by sources until 2050, although in 2018 such work to about 4.4 million workers; and 186 sources accounted only for 1% of power 2022. U.S. experts have already calculated professions for environmental management generation in the country. Meanwhile, ex- that transferring 95% of workers at risk to producing about 877,000 jobs. new jobs through retraining could cost more perts believe that for Kazakhstan, which is one of the least energy efficient nations in Apparently, the creation of new curricula than $34 billion. and the modernization of existing ones in However, before moving masses of people the world, improving energy efficiency and the field of energy at all levels of education from one sector to another, planning invest- greenery planting are among key factors of ments and training millions of new special- competitiveness. and professional training should be a prior- ists in yet unknown new directions, it is nec- Analysts determined that the transition to a ity, including short-term courses for person- essary to strategically rethink which specific clean energy economy would include 320 nel retraining. The transition to clean energy areas of the job creation can bring maximum unique occupations in such areas as clean is of particular importance, since it will not social benefits. Many believe that the mar- energy production (energy production, only contribute to the sustainability of the ket will require professions that are related transmission and distribution), energy effi- country’s economy, expand the labor mar- to construction (including roads), as well as ciency (energy efficient products, energy ef- ket and create new technological opportuni- ficient buildings, and energy efficiency ser- the oil and gas and other extractive indus- ties, but will also have enormous socio-eco- tries. Based on their market research, ana- vices) and environmental management (en- nomic effects for residents of all the regions lysts of the Russian portal HeadHunter be- vironmental management, conservation and lieve that the list of the most demanded pro- regulation). Therefore, for example, not of Kazakhstan without exception, as a solu- fessions now and in the near future will in- only operators of power stations and wind tion to one of the most pressing problems for clude porters, laborers, electricians, order turbine technicians are involved in the clean the nation’s welfare and health. Written by Gulnar Nadirova, Eurasian Research Institute, Kazakhstan

Politics, Foreign Affairs, and Security Economy, Finance, and Energy Society and Culture  During his visit to Turkey, NATO Sec-  The railway authorities of Azerbaijan,  A ceremony devoted to the opening of a retary General Jens Stoltenberg held Russia and Turkey signed a memoran- monument to Kazakh World War II talks with Turkish President Recep Tay- dum of understanding in Ankara to gen- hero Aliya Moldagulova was held in St. yip Erdogan and Foreign Minister erate more economic activity on the Petersburg. During the war, Aliya was a Mevlut Çavusoglu on the security situa- sniper and eliminated 78 enemy soldiers tion in the region and Ankara’s contri- Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway. The trilat- bution to the alliance’s collective de- eral deal aims to increase the volume of and officers before being mortally fense. The parties also discussed Tur- cargo transportation through boosting wounded in January 1944. Kazakh key’s plan to purchase the Russian S- commercial operations along the 829- sculptor Yedige Rakhmadiyev is the au- 400 surface-to-air missile system. km railway inaugurated in October thor of the monument made of granite  During the official visit to Turkey, For- 2017. and bronze from Kazakhstan. eign Minister of Kyrgyzstan Chingiz  The 11th meeting of the intergovern-  The second meeting of officials in Aidarbekov met with his Turkish coun- mental Turkmenistan-Russia commis- charge of information and media of the terpart Mevlut Cavusoglu to discuss sion on economic cooperation was held Turkic Council member states was held major issues of bilateral relations. Ai- in Ashgabat. The parties discussed key in Baku to discuss issues related to gen- darbekov also held talks with Turkish aspects of bilateral relations, focusing erating common content about history, Minister of National Defense Hulusi on trade and economic issues, as well as culture and contemporary life of the Akar to review prospects for coopera- prospects of mutually beneficial coop- Turkic World. During the meeting, na- tion between the two countries in the tional TV channels of the Turkic-speak- military and military-technical fields. eration in the industrial, construction, transport, oil and gas, gas chemical and ing countries signed a cooperation pro-  Tajikistan officially started its chair- tocol. manship of the OSCE Forum for Secu- electric power sectors. rity Cooperation. According to the pro-  The sixth meeting of the Uzbekistan-It-  Composers from Azerbaijan, Kazakh- gram of the Tajik chairmanship, Du- aly intergovernmental working group stan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Bash- shanbe will focus its attention on polit- on trade, economic and industrial coop- kortostan and Tatarstan gathered for ico-military aspects of regional security eration and export credits was held in their traditional annual event held by in Central Asia, the management of the Rome. In particular, the delegations dis- TURKSOY in the Turkish town of Bey- small arms and light weapons and cussed Italy’s interest in enhancing co- pazari. During the event aimed to foster stockpiles of conventional ammunition, operation with Central Asia, including interaction and cooperation among and the strengthening of cooperation be- through China’s Belt and Road Initia- composers of the Turkic World, the par- tween the OSCE and other regional or- tive. During the subsequent business fo- ticipants had an opportunity to work to- ganizations. rum, Italian officials and representatives gether on their compositions and share  During his working visit to Austria, For- experience. eign Minister of Kazakhstan Beibut At- of business circles learned about Uzbek- istan’s investment potential.  The Caspian Ecological Service of amkulov met with OSCE Secretary Turkmenistan started to conduct envi- General Thomas Greminger, Director-  According to the World Gold Council, ronmental monitoring of the Turkmen General of the UN Office in Vienna in the first quarter of 2019, Uzbekistan Caspian Sea coast and territorial waters. Yuri Fedotov, IAEA Director General was the world leader in gold sales, with The agency that has a mobile environ- Yukiya Amano, and Executive Secre- 6.2 tons sold, followed by Mongolia mental laboratory and stationary moni- tary of the Comprehensive Nuclear- (3.4 tons) and Tajikistan (1 ton). Russia toring posts inspects enterprises and or- Test-Ban Treaty Organization Lassina purchased 55.3 tons of gold bringing its Zerbo. The parties discussed prospects ganizations of all forms of ownership to gold reserves to 2,168.3 tons and be- control compliance with the country’s for deepening Kazakhstan’s partnership came the main buyer of gold, ahead of with these international organizations. environmental legislation and the ra- Turkey (40.1 tons), China (33 tons) and tional use of land and water resources.  The Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan (11.2 tons). Kazakhstan registered seven candidates  During a workshop in Dushanbe orga- to run for the presidency. The list in-  According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of nized by Tajikistan’s Ministry of Eco- cludes Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (nomi- Agriculture, the country exports 113 nomic Development and Trade with nated by the Nur Otan Party), Sadybek types of food and agricultural products support from the UN Food and Agricul- Tugel (Uly Dala Qyrandary Associa- to China, including 16 types of livestock ture Organization and the EU, the inter- tion), Amangeldy Taspikhov (Federa- products, 16 types of crop products and agency working group presented a draft tion of Trade Unions), Daniya Yespa- 81 types of processed products. The of the country’s national food safety yeva (Ak Zhol Democratic Party), leading export items are wheat, vegeta- strategy. The document will serve as a Toleutay Rakhimbekov (Auyl People’s ble oil, oil seeds, fibers, flour, soy and comprehensive, step-by-step plan for Democratic Patriotic Party), Zhambyl fish, while mutton and honey were ex- strengthening Tajikistan’s food quality Akhmetbekov (Communist People’s ported for the first time in 2018. Party), and Amirzhan Kossanov (Ult control system. Taghdyry Movement).  Tajikistan launched the trade portal  OSCE Representative on Freedom of  231 nationals of Kazakhstan, including (www.tjtrade.tj), containing infor- the Media Harlem Desir called on the 156 children, 18 of whom are orphans, mation about the country’s trade sys- government of Tajikistan to reinstate were evacuated from Syria. The evacu- tem, and import and export regulations. full and unrestricted access of Tajik cit- ation was part of Operation Jusan, a The online platform is aimed at facilitat- izens to numerous national and interna- large-scale humanitarian effort that ing trade and investment operations for tional web resources. According to re- started in January at the initiative of foreign and domestic representatives of ports, most online news media, social President Nursultan Nazarbayev. All re- the private sector. The project was im- platforms, search engines and messen- turnees will be provided medical, psy- plemented with support from the Inter- ger applications, including Facebook, chological and social assistance from national Trade Centre, the Swiss gov- Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp, Viber, the government and nongovernmental ernment, UNCTAD, UNDP and the and Telegram, are intermittently organizations. OSCE. blocked.  The second round of Uzbekistan-China  The Eurasian Economic Commission  Kyrgyzstan will join for the first time consultations on consular and legal is- the Child Friendly Cities Initiative con- sues was held in Tashkent. The delega- and the World Intellectual Property Or- tions discussed the current state of mu- ganization signed a memorandum of un- test with a prize fund of 6 million soms. tual cooperation in the consular and le- derstanding in Geneva. The document The Kyrgyz State Agency for Youth Af- gal sphere, in particular the implemen- aims to enhance cooperation between fairs, Physical Culture and Sports and tation of the bilateral consular agree- the organizations in the protection and the UN Children’s Fund plan to evalu- ment, and reviewed the draft of an inter- enforcement of intellectual property ate the situation in the country’s 18 cit- governmental agreement on the simpli- rights. The parties agreed to exchange ies and towns regarding the well-being fication of visa procedures for repre- information and work jointly in devel- of children and young people, including sentatives of business circles of the two oping recommendations and resolving access to education, health services, countries. disputes in this field. safety, etc.

Prepared by Dauren Aben and Kanat Makhanov