Assessment of Competence Gap in Industry: The Case of Pavlodar Region

This article addresses the issue of qualitative mismatch between the professional education
system and the needs of the industrial sector in the context of economic digitalization. The focus of the
study is Pavlodar Region, one of the key industrial regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Based on
the analysis of digital, professional, adaptive, and behavioral competencies of graduates from
vocational and higher educational institutions, the existence of a stable competence gap was identified,
manifested in the discrepancy between graduate training and employer expectations. The study
employed expert surveys, vacancy analysis, and content analysis of educational programs, as well as
comparative assessment of the level of competence formation from the perspective of industrial
employers. The findings reveal the most significant gaps in digital and practice-oriented skills, as well
as in behavioral attributes essential for effective workplace adaptation. The article presents
quantitative assessments of these discrepancies and proposes a structural-functional model for bridging the competence gap. Practical recommendations are formulated to enhance the alignment
between the labor market and the education system, including the development of dual education,
employer participation in curriculum design, and the creation of industrial training sites