Amendments to the Law “On Automobile Roads” have come into force in Kazakhstan, introducing mandatory professional development for employees of the road sector.

These measures aim to enhance the professional potential of specialists and improve the quality of the country’s road infrastructure.

According to open sources, approximately 200,000 people are employed in Kazakhstan’s road industry, with about 30% being of pre-retirement or retirement age. At the same time, there is an acute shortage of qualified personnel across all regions — the estimated shortage stands at around 2,500 specialists.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that many road construction projects are located in remote areas, where local residents without relevant education or experience are often hired. Currently, there is a significant lack of engineers, laboratory technicians, equipment operators, heavy machinery drivers, and other specialists at most sites.

Under the new amendments, road sector employees in Kazakhstan will now undergo mandatory professional training. This will help ensure that specialists’ knowledge and skills align with modern standards and improve the overall level of workforce competence.

Experts believe that the implementation of these measures will positively impact the industry, facilitate the adoption of advanced technologies, and enhance the quality of road design, construction, and maintenance.

It is worth noting that last year, as a result of joint efforts by the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the educational program “Transport Construction” was reinstated. For the first time, state educational grants — about 1,000 in total — were allocated for training future road sector professionals. This marked an important step toward systematically addressing the shortage of qualified personnel.

In 2025, the allocation of grants continues. The government has once again provided funding for the training of future specialists in the road sector under the priority area of “Transport Construction.” This initiative is expected to help bridge the gap in engineering and technical staff required for the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects.

Additionally, in an effort to stimulate workforce development and improve personnel quality, KazdorNII has established a professional qualification database for the road sector called “Jolshy.” The system includes information on all road industry specialists — from university graduates to professionals involved in road design, construction, and operation.