Employment programs in Almaty helped 21,700 young people find jobs in the first nine months of 2026. Of them, 3,900 were in the NEET category — not in employment, education or professional training. Another 9,600 gained new professional skills, the city’s Youth Policy Department said.
The share of young people classified as NEET fell to 4.8% in the first half of the year, down from 5.8% in 2025. The category includes about 33,600 people. Youth unemployment stood at 3.8% over the same period, compared with 4.4% in 2024.
Almaty is home to 769,000 people aged 14 to 35. Of these, 332,600 are employed, 34,000 are self-employed, 232,800 study at universities and 89,600 attend colleges.
The city’s Youth Career Center helps young people find work through employer meetings, job fairs, internships and work placements for those starting their careers. The center helped 4,000 people find jobs, including 1,200 in the NEET category. A further 2,100 young Almaty residents were placed in temporary jobs.
The Skill All project offers vocational training in marketing, IT, skilled trades and the service sector. Some 2,000 people attended in-person courses and 7,600 took online courses. A total of 92 online programs are available.
Job listings and information about support measures are available on the Jasalmaty.kz digital platform. It has had 25,000 unique users and currently lists about 1,300 active job offers.
The city also contacts young people who have difficulty finding work to identify their needs. Specialists reached 10,000 people; 1,681 needed help with their job search, and 421 applicants are receiving individual support.
The Youth Policy Department says a lack of work experience and a mismatch between graduates’ qualifications and employers’ requirements remain key challenges for college and university graduates. Alongside job listings, young people are offered internships, short-term courses and opportunities to gain initial professional skills.
