Published
09/25/2025, 10:04From 30 September to 31 October, Kyrgyzstan will host the Skills Caravan, a series of exciting events aimed at promoting blue-collar professions and providing information about vocational training and employment opportunities for residents of regional centres and rural areas.
The Caravan is organised by the Swiss project ‘Cheber: Skills Development in Kyrgyzstan’ with the support of the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration and the Ministry of Education.
According to the National Statistical Committee, the youth unemployment rate in Kyrgyzstan is 11%, and in rural areas, the share of informal employment exceeds 70%. At the same time, according to forecasts by the International Labour Organisation, more than half of all professions will require new skills in the next five years.
«We see a demand for practice-oriented training that helps people quickly obtain a sought-after profession. But it is often difficult for rural residents to obtain information about the skills currently needed in the labour market, as well as training opportunities. The caravan is an opportunity to bring this information to those who need it», — says Christian Wagner, head of the Cheber project.
In 2025, the ’Skills Caravan" will visit 12 remote villages across the country. At each venue, guests will be treated to express master classes in various fields, from cooking and sewing to welding, mobile photography and 3D printing, as well as a fair featuring local training centres, employers and employment services, and a cultural programme with the participation of artisans and artists.
Several thousand people in the country's regions are expected to participate; expanding access to training for young people and the unemployed in rural areas; forming partnerships between employers, training centres and local communities.
As part of the tour, the Caravan will visit the Batken, Jalal-Abad, Osh, Naryn, Chui and Issyk-Kul regions.
