Which regions of Russia are in dire need of STEM specialists?

The Association of Innovative Regions of Russia (AIRR) has published a regional index of demand for personnel for the innovative economy (STEM). The study points to trends and new centers of attraction for specialists in high-tech industries.

The main conclusion of the regional index is a pronounced increase in the demand for STEM specialists - over the year (from March 2023 to March 2024), the figure increased by 26%. In the top ten: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Sverdlovsk, Tyumen, Tomsk regions, Republic of Tatarstan, Nizhny Novgorod region, Perm region and Samara region. The deficit in all regions of the country is clearly shown on the map prepared by the Association’s analysts.

Demand in the 18 regions participating in the AIRR is higher than the Russian average, which is caused by a higher share of employees in high- and medium-tech industries.

In part, the large number of unfilled vacancies is explained by the physical absence of the necessary specialists or their employment in other sectors with more attractive working conditions (for example, in the service sector), AIRR analysts explain. They named the level of wages as one of the critical factors in attracting and retaining employees.

According to the regional index, among the regions included in the Association, several new centers of attraction for specialists in high-tech sectors of the economy are being formed, for example, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Yugra, Krasnoyarsk Territory. These regions have relatively high wages and one of the lowest unemployment rates among AIRR regions.

There is a high potential for creating new and filling existing vacancies in regions with a large share of high- and medium-tech industries: the Republic of Tatarstan, the Republic of Bashkortostan, the Ulyanovsk region, the Samara region, the Nizhny Novgorod region, the Perm region, the Tomsk region. This potential can be realized by increasing the level of involvement of young professionals.

To objectively assess the situation, the regional index divides subjects into 5 groups based on the size of the economically active population, takes into account the sectoral structure of the regional economy, supply in the labor market and the quality of jobs. You can get acquainted with the study at the link - Regional index of demand for personnel for the innovative economy (STEM)