Analyzing IT personnel availability in the region: Vologda Region case study

The article analyzes the supply of IT specialists in a given region. A study of labor market demand and supply dynamics leads to the conclusion that the current shortage of IT personnel is not critical for regional businesses. Between 2017 and 2023, employment increased in the region's information and communications sector, particularly among specialists in computer software development and information technology. The persistent regional trend of growing resumes posted alongside a decline in IT job vacancies indicates a high level of competition among applicants for jobs and the formation of an “employer's market”. Simultaneously, issues in IT specialist training were identified. The final part of the article outlines the main problems in the IT personnel training system at the federal and regional levels. An analysis of graduate numbers from secondary vocational and higher education institutions in IT-related fields across Russia and the Vologda Region revealed that the current education system does not fully meet the challenges of digitalization and is producing an insufficient number of IT specialists. Training is entirely absent for certain key specialties in the region. Given the presence of local enterprises engaged in manufacturing computers, electronic, and optical products, this situation makes the local labor supply vulnerable. There is also a lack of specialist degree programs and programs related to information technology in the social sphere.