Youth and the labor market: in a search of a balance of interests
On 10 October, the EISI panel discussion "Youth in the Labor Market: Who is Changing Whom" was held at the National Centre RUSSIA. The event brought together leading experts in the field of education, HR and youth work, business representatives and students. They discussed the transformation of the labor market, a new generation's expectations, and effective ways of communication between employers and young professionals.
Opening the discussion, moderator Nikita Setov, Deputy Director General of GR at the Polylog Group, noted that the modern labor market is going through a period of significant changes caused by both technological trends and the younger generation's new value orientations.
Deputy head of "Rosmolodezh. Pros" and "Rosmolodezh. Undertake" Nikolai Latyshev presented data on key projects that balance the expectations of young people and the needs of the labor market.
"37 million young people between the ages of 14 and 35 live in the country, of which 13.1 million are young professionals. Along the direction "Rosmolodezh. Profi", we are implementing a key project — "More Than Work", which has been running since 2022. Over the years of the project operation, more than 36,000 young people have completed their internships in 76 regions of the Russian Federation. More than 5,000 young specialists have applied for temporary employment," Nikolai Latyshev said.
Valeria Kasamara, Director of the Association of Organisers of Student Olympiads "I Am a Professional", shared the results of research regarding youth's preferences, and spoke about the project 's role in professional navigation.
"Modern youth are optimistic and pragmatic. They do not wait until they receive a diploma, but acquire practical experience during their studies, since today's employers value skills more than the "sheepskin". The main requirements are a decent salary and a meaning in work, and internships are considered the most effective training tool. The active position of "go-and-work" finds support: for example, the career Olympiads have already helped to employ tens of thousands of people. "I Am a Professional" is a reliable partner on this path," Valeria Kasamara emphasized.
Antonina Selezneva, Director of the Educational Activities Department of the EISR (Expert Institute for Social Research), raised the issue of value orientations that influence young people's ideas about their professional future.
"Modern young people are very diverse, and any generalizations about them are always conditional. The main thing that leads them forward is interest, which is the basis of motivation. The values of the new generation are self-development, freedom and personal fulfillment. These attitudes create very demanding requirements on the employer: young people value comfort and pay great attention to working conditions. At the same time, there is an important balance in their worldview. On the one hand, they are not extreme individualists, and understand the value of collective work, realizing their personal contribution to the achievement of a common goal. On the other hand, their key demand regarding work, and life in general, is a deep personal involvement, which is becoming the main trend today," said Antonina Selezneva.
Marat Ismagulov, Member of the Management Board and HR Director of Alfa-Bank, shared his experience of working with young professionals in the financial sector, and provided a forecast for the labor market development in the next 10-15 years.
"The generational division of youth does not always reflect reality. It is much more important to create opportunities for them. Common efforts with universities, such as academic and financial support, as well as infrastructure development, facilitate this task. Modern students are highly aware: they decide on their profession early, and strive to practice. We support this aspiration by offering them internships from their junior years. Young people are very different, and this is their main strength," said Marat Ismagulov.
Tatiana Antonova, Director of Administrative and HR Issues at Kept Consulting, shared her expertise in corporate governance and the development of young employees.
"To build a career in our company, it is important to follow two key tips. First of all, be open to internal changes — this is the basis of our long and productive cooperation. Secondly, we appreciate your desire to work and grow — we see how many smart and advanced young men and girls there are among young professionals, and we provide all the opportunities for them," said Tatiana Antonova.
Irina Khvorostyan, Partner and Head of Kept's Technology Practice, gave practical advice to young people preparing to enter the labor market.
"We are a large consulting company, and it is important for us that young professionals want to get back to us. At the interview, we give our potential employees a test assignment. It doesn't matter whether it's answered right or wrong, the key thing is to explain your decision. And here's the problem: many people fail to do it. Despite the opinion that technical skills are no longer so important because of AI, this is not the case. Deep understanding is exactly what distinguishes a strong specialist. Short-term training is not enough, the fundamental knowledge provided by the Academia is needed. The world has always been competitive, and is like this now, and to be among the best, you need to both study and work. That's why it's so important to keep on developing basic skills: writing, reading, and computing. This is the foundation that no AI can replace," Irina Khvorostyan said.
Georgy Skufinsky, student of the Moscow Aviation Institute, bronze medalist in the field of Unmanned Aircraft Development, and silver medalist in the field of Aircraft Engineering, shared his vision of the modern youth's real demands regarding the employers.
"Young professionals strive to partner with an employer who values their personality, not just their work experience. We want our potential and willingness to work here and now to mean more than some numbers in the work-record book. It is important to have a modern environment without an outdated hierarchy, where you can start building a career while still studying, and where everyone is moving towards the goal together," said Georgy Skufinsky.
Vsevolod Sannikov, student of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, gold medalist in the field of Creative Industries, spoke about the motivation to participate in major educational projects and the development of new competencies.
"The creative industries are an area that is relevant both in the past and today. For me, the key event was the Olympiad "I Am a Professional", which gives one a unique chance to become a practice-oriented specialist while still being a student, and graduate with a ready-made portfolio, then heading to where it all really matters. While taking part in seasonal competitions, I really felt happy. It was a time of discovering my own talents and potential, which I really appreciate," said Vsevolod Sannikov.
Earlier, the Expert Institute for Social Research held two panel discussions at the National Centre RUSSIA. Experts discussed video games as a tool for preserving historical memory, and the main approaches to civic education and the transfer of knowledge about the country's achievements.
