New program aims to boost employment for university graduates in Uzbekistan

A new program, titled “Step to the Future,” has been introduced to help university graduates secure employment. The program, which was approved by the President of Uzbekistan in a resolution on February 14, aims to support higher education graduates in finding work and realizing their business ideas.

The “Step to the Future” program will focus on:

• Providing full support for graduates who wish to turn their business ideas into tangible projects, including financial assistance on favorable terms.
• Organizing open competitions for graduate and undergraduate students in various fields and helping the winners find employment.

Key measures include:

• Establishing a process to assess the needs of potential employers, including large enterprises, to determine the types of specialists required.
• Financing initial professional training for competition winners through customized vocational education programs ordered by potential employers.

Offering opportunities for internships at production facilities and short-term training abroad as part of vocational education programs.
In a related development, during a February 14 meeting with youth, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced that a new grant would be provided to children from poor families in Uzbekistan to help them pursue higher education. This grant will include an interest-free education loan and reimbursement of part of the contract fee. The government emphasized that education is the most effective solution for poverty reduction and will create opportunities for at least one child from each low-income family to receive higher education.