The fifth meeting of the DARYA High-Level Group (“Dialogue and Action for Resourceful Youth in Central Asia”) concluded in Ashgabat on 14 October. The two-day meeting focused on developing professional skills for the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. Participants included representatives of education and labour authorities from the five Central Asian countries, the European Union, the European Training Foundation (ETF), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the transport and logistics sector, according to Turkmenistan’s IIC.

Representatives of Turkmenistan presented the country’s priorities for workforce training and the development of transport connectivity. Participants also discussed sector-specific training programmes for maritime and rail transport.

The delegates visited the Ashgabat Secondary Vocational Construction School, where they learned about the institution’s facilities and its cooperation with employers.

One of the key topics on the second day was the development of a regional roadmap for professional skills development beyond the conclusion of the DARYA programme in 2027. Azat Atayev, a representative of Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Education, presented joint proposals from the country’s relevant agencies and the TULM association in three areas: developing common occupational profiles for countries across the region, assessing labour market needs, and creating modular training programmes for instructors.

The proposed measures include developing an occupational profile for a logistics analyst. Implementation of the initiatives is scheduled to begin in 2028.