Sustainability of the primary resource sector in Kazakhstan

: (de)constructing skill shortages, understanding career mobility and rethinking human capital development practices

Abstract

Kazakhstan’s extractive industry plays a crucial role in the country's socio-economic development and is expected to remain vital given significant natural resource wealth and its strategic importance in global energy markets. However, research on the sustainability of the sector’s human capital remains limited. Key concerns include whether the industry can attract and retain a skilled workforce and whether individuals can access meaningful, decent employment.

This study investigates human capital in Kazakhstan’s extractive sectors, focusing on skill shortages, occupational mobility, and human capital development practices to assess their implications for the industry's long-term sustainable development and the nation's broader economic well-being. It draws on secondary labour force data and 60 semi-structured interviews with industry stakeholders, employees and field experts. Using these data, the study 1) develops an industry and workforce profile and critically examines prevailing skill shortage narratives; 2) outlines perceived determinants of occupational mobility in professional roles; and 3) maps the industry’s human capital development practices.

The research finds that human resource development, driven by firms’ profit-oriented strategies, often reinforces labour market inequalities and limits meaningful career progression. This study critiques the employer-centric framing of skill shortages as overlooking socio-economic forces, mismatches in aspirations, and labour-market frictions. By treating occupational gaps solely as training needs, employers marginalize employees and hinder deeper policy solutions. This narrow approach limits workforce mobility and human-capital development while detracting from long-term sustainability.

The research advocates for relational perspectives on mobility and capital—situating human development within both structural and individual contexts. In doing so, it contributes to emerging scholarship on employment and social mobility in post-socialist Central Asia and highlights the role of diverse forms of capital in social reproduction. These insights are critical to advancing Kazakhstan’s sustainable development by ensuring that growth in extractive and related sectors contributes to the development of local human capital.

Date of Award	2 Jul 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of St Andrews
Supervisor	David McCollum (Supervisor) & William McCarthy (Supervisor)