Kazakhstan honors tradespeople on Labor Day
Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov attended the national forum Yenbek Adamy – Yel Maktanyshy (“The Working Person – Pride of the Nation”), held in celebration of Labor Day. During the event, awards were handed out on behalf of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to representatives of working professions, who made significant contributions to strengthening and developing Kazakhstan’s economy, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
In his remarks, Bektenov stressed that the principle outlined by the President at the National Qurultay – “An honest person – honest work – honest income” – has become one of the key guiding values of Kazakhstani society.
Labor Day has been celebrated in Kazakhstan for over a decade. This year, declared the “Year of Trade Jobs,” the holiday carries special significance, reflecting deep respect for the country’s 4.7 million workers, including miners, metallurgists, teachers, energy specialists, healthcare professionals, builders, agronomists, and engineers.
The government has been implementing measures to support workers, from improving production conditions and reforming technical education to updating professional standards and strengthening the link between science and industry. A notable initiative is the “Nauryz Zhumysker” housing program launched by the President through Otbasy Bank, which has already enabled more than 2,000 families to improve their housing conditions this year.
Bektenov also underlined the importance of digital transformation, noting that innovation, large-scale digitalization, and the integration of artificial intelligence are central to Kazakhstan’s future growth. New technologies, he said, are being adopted across industry, transport, healthcare, education and other sectors.
As part of its education reforms, the government has guaranteed free college training for all ninth-grade graduates in high-demand fields such as geology, engineering, energy, transport, and IT. Student stipends have doubled over the past two years, while nearly 90% of students are now provided with dormitory accommodation. Cooperation between colleges and businesses is expanding, with the number of enterprises overseeing colleges rising eightfold and the number of dual-education contracts with businesses doubling.
On the sidelines of the forum, Bektenov toured an exhibition showcasing advanced technologies introduced by the country’s industrial enterprises. Companies including QARMET, Kazakhmys, Kazzinc and ERG presented projects ranging from metallurgical production for high-tech industries to digital modelling of processing plants and smart monitoring systems. Many initiatives also focus on workforce training through support for colleges and the creation of modern workshops and classrooms.
The forum concluded with the presenting of state awards to outstanding workers across various industries.