Over 2,800 young professionals to secure housing via rural development program "Diploma in the Village"
Rewritten Article:
The Ministry of National Economy recently announced that their project, dubbed "With a Diploma to the Village," will soon be home to aprox 2,800 skilled professionals.
This project offers loans, with a 15-year repayment plan, to those ready to commit to working in rural areas for at least three years.
Since its commencement in 2009, over 52,000 young professionals have benefited from this initiative, garnering a cumulative loan amount of 189.5 billion tenge. The education sector accounts for 67.1% of these participants.
The ministry reminds us that the primary objective of "With a Diploma to the Village" is to rectify the skill shortage in rural regions. The program targets diploma holders in sectors such as health, education, social protection, culture, sports, agribusiness, and local government bodies.
Participants in this initiative receive social support, including:
- A one-time settlement allowance of 100 MCI.
- Budgetary loans for housing purchases or construction - up to 2,500 MCI for district centers and 2,000 MCI for other settlements.
Previous forecasts have highlighted the professions in demand in Kazakhstan by 2025.
Interestingly, "With a Diploma to the Village" is part of the wider government initiative to attract professionals to rural areas, often providing:
- Professional Opportunities: Chances for career growth and ongoing education.
- Financial Incentives: Housing assistance, salary bonuses, and other forms of compensation.
- Community Integration: Support to assimilate into the local community, mitigating feelings of isolation.
However, recent incidents of violence against medical workers call for enhanced safety measures, such as legal protections and insurance coverage[1]. Additionally, the emphasis is increasingly on dual education programs that integrate theoretical and practical learning, potentially benefitting rural youths, although this is not unique to "With a Diploma to the Village"[3].
- I, as a diploma holder in the agribusiness sector, am considering participating in the "With a Diploma to the Village" project in 2024, which offers financial assistance for business, education-and-self-development, and housing.
- Upon moving to a rural area through this initiative, I will be eligible for a one-time settlement allowance and budgetary loans for housing purchases or construction.
- After three years of working in a rural area, I hope to benefit from the primary objective of "With a Diploma to the Village" – addressing the skill shortage, while also having access to professional opportunities, financial incentives, and community integration.
- To ensure the safety of professionals like me, who are moving to rural areas, it's crucial that the government enhances safety measures by providing legal protections and insurance coverage, given the recent incidents of violence against medical workers.
