Novosibirsk Region to Introduce Employer Rating for Youth

A rating of employers that actively work with youth and help graduates find their first jobs will be introduced in Novosibirsk Region. Governor Andrei Travnikov set this task at an operational meeting dedicated to training personnel for the region«s economy.

This is not just about formal statistics, but about real participation of enterprises in the lives of schoolchildren and students: through tours, internships, apprenticeships, and further employment. According to the head of the region, in recent years many companies have become more willing to cooperate with educational institutions, but there are still enterprises where it is difficult for youth to get in.

The governor appealed to municipal heads to more actively build dialogue with businesses and convince employers to open up to schoolchildren and students. He noted that attracting graduates is not only a way to address the personnel shortage, but also an investment in the future, in young people who can realize themselves professionally more quickly.

The employer rating will take into account how actively companies hire graduates from colleges and universities, what percentage of young specialists are employed and retained. The authorities hope that public assessment will become an additional motivation for businesses.

As the region«s Minister of Education Maria Zhafyarova explained, career guidance work in the region is built systematically. A unified career guidance model has been implemented in all schools, and the »Ticket to the Future« project covers all students from 6th to 11th grade. Schoolchildren get acquainted with professions, visit enterprises, and try themselves in different fields.

Additional opportunities for students come from participating in championships like «Professionals» and «Abilympics» (a skills competition for people with disabilities). Here, employers serve as experts and mentors, and directly offer internships and jobs to talented participants. In 2025, Novosibirsk Region rose to fourth place in the «Professionals» competition and became one of the leaders in participant growth for «Abilympics.»

One of the most effective tools remains targeted training. In this case, a student studies for a specific employer and after graduation is obligated to work for them for at least three years. The employment rate for such programs exceeds 90%, the regional government reported, and more and more enterprises are consciously using this mechanism.

Overall, the region«s labor market consistently needs young specialists. Today, over 98% of college graduates and almost 96% of university graduates find jobs, the authorities reported. Moreover, the majority find employment in their field of study.