Demand for skills and training, middle income trap and prospects of catch-up development in Russia

Abstract

Since mid 2000s the Russian managers regularly declared the shortage of skilled labor in manufacturing industry, but the Russian scholars provided different assessments of this phenomenon. This paper argues that this shortage is real, and it is caused by the asymmetry of information and the risks of opportunism in relations between enterprises, educational institutions and workers, which leads to an insufficient level of investments by firms in the development of skills and training of workers. At the same time, the lack of qualifications and skills is a factor restraining economic development and predetermining Russia's entry into a "middle income trap". Taking into account foreign and Russian experience, it is shown that the solution of the problems of personnel training is associated with the introduction of public-private partnership mechanisms, primarily at the regional level.