Pupils’ Professional Plans and Labor Market Demands of the Regions of the Russian Arctic Zone: Coordination of Interests

The article considers the professional interests of schoolchildren in the Arctic regions in comparison with the demand of the labor market and leading employers. The study of professional preferences of schoolchildren in the face of a staff shortage of the economy of the Arctic regions and the increased interest in the development of these territories is relevant. It is youth that forms the basis for the timely reproduction of human capital. The purpose of the study is to identify professional plans of schoolchildren in the Arctic regions and to compare plans with the needs of the labor market and employers of the regions. The empirical basis of the study is official statistics (data from Rostrud for 2018), a survey of leading employers and students in grades 8–10 of the Arctic regions. The originality of the study lies in comparing tripartite interests – the labor market, employers and schoolchildren as potential professionals who build a career path. The entire array of professions obtained is compared on the basis of structural analysis. According to vacancies, requests of employers and preferences of schoolchildren, there is an intersection in certain professions. Details of professions by educational level showed inconsistency: for va cancies and employers, workers with secondary vocational education are in demand, but schoolchildren are more oriented toward higher education; the professional groups of engineering, technical and social professions also revealed a discrepancy. These results are useful for authorities, the scientific and pedagogical community in the formation of mechanisms for securing future young specialists in the Arctic regions.