Apprenticeship in Tajikistan

Tajikistan uses several pathways to prepare people for an occupation. Formal initial vocational education is provided by professional-technical lyceums, professional lyceums, specialised lyceums, vocational training centres, учебно-производственные комбинаты, adult learning centres, enterprise training centres and other licensed institutions. After nine years of basic general education, an integrated programme can combine general education with vocational training for two years. After eleven years of general education, a vocational programme can last one year. Vocational preparation, retraining and qualification courses can last up to one year and may serve adults, unemployed people, returning migrants and career changers. Access follows the person’s wishes and abilities together with state admission or state-order rules. Workplace learning, called ученичество, is recognised in the adult education framework as a way for people to learn an occupation at work. It is not the same as a uniformly regulated national apprenticeship contract. No nationwide apprentice standard, comprehensive dual-training contract or reliable national apprenticeship statistics have been established for general initial vocational education. Some dual or three-party arrangements appear as development or pilot findings in higher vocational education and should not be treated as the normal apprenticeship path. Formal programmes follow state standards covering competence requirements, curricula, duration and maximum workload. Practical training is legally provided within vocational education. During production or professional practice, the learner has a right to a workplace and safe conditions, with payment according to the contract. A learner’s full-time study can count toward general and continuous employment service. A training contract may require a period of work after completion; if the learner leaves early through their own fault, the contract may require proportional repayment of training costs. Final or graduation assessment can lead to a state document and the right to work in the relevant occupation. People who learned through non-formal courses or informal workplace experience may seek validation of their occupational competences and a state certificate, but workplace learning alone does not automatically create the same status as completion of a formal programme. Employers and sectors cooperate on competence standards, curricula, assessment, practical training, quality and graduate employment under the 2021 Law on Training Specialists Based on Labor Market Needs. State-funded vocational qualifications in state institutions are free when places are provided under the state order. Other places and additional programmes may require a contract and payment. Funding can also come from employers, production and service income, fees or sponsorship. In 2023/24, more than 7.8% of professional-lyceum learners and 71.5% of college learners studied for payment, which can restrict access for households with limited income. Scholarships and material or medical support may be available under applicable standards. People with disabilities, orphans, minors without parental care and forced migrants can receive admission advantages or additional state funding; specialised institutions may provide full support for learners with disabilities. The Committee on Primary and Secondary Vocational Education under the Government coordinates policy, standards and supervision. The Ministry of Labor, Migration and Employment addresses labour-market needs, employment, initial vocational education, adult education and crafts. The Agency for Supervision in Education and Science carries out state quality oversight, while local executive bodies may provide financing and social support. In 2024/25, Tajikistan had 65 initial vocational education institutions and 23,469 learners. Of 8,517 recorded graduates in 2024, 4,518 were sent to work in the economy and 3,999 were not, so being sent to work does not guarantee employment. Available occupations depend on the institution, region, licence and state order and include areas such as construction, agriculture, energy, transport, trade, hospitality, household services, information technology, electrical work, vehicle repair and tailoring.