Avito Careers platform and PROGRESS JSC (manufacturer of FrutoNyanya baby food) conducted a study to find out whether Russians are ready to work in production. According to the survey results, almost half of working Russians (45%) responded that they would be willing to consider working at a factory at a blue-collar job if they were starting their career path again. Among them, 27% would prefer to work in the field of mechanical engineering and robotics, 23% in the oil and gas industry, and 20% of respondents noted that they would choose to work in the food industry.
The survey showed that Russians are most attracted to the mechanical engineering and robotics industries (27%). In second place comes the oil and gas industry. The food industry was included in the top 3 areas where respondents would like to get a job (20%). Consumer products industry takes fourth place in the ranking with a share of 17%, while agro-industry and agriculture share the fifth place (15%).
“Working in the industrial field has long been surrounded by various stereotypes, but nowadays the production sector is considered to be one of the most technologically advanced and leading ones. Employers in this segment are actively improving their working conditions, optimizing and automating production processes. Salary levels in industry and manufacturing sector are competitive, and blue-collar occupations regularly rank among the highest paid in the market. According to our data, in the winter of the current year the average salary offered in the field of production, raw materials and agriculture reached 62,408 rubles, which is 16% more than last year. Production workers receive not only stable work, but also the opportunity for career growth in a prestigious field,” comments Mr. Alexander Sampetov, director of the Avito Careers “Workers and Line Professions” Segment.
“Employed in the production of high-quality baby food at our plant in Lipetsk are about one and a half thousand workers. For a span of 30 years, we have grown into a leader in the Russian market. Maintaining high positions and quality requires constant improvement of equipment, technologies and production processes. Behind all these changes stand the company’s employees, constantly increasing their expertise and knowledge in the field, implementing unique projects for the industry, and building a successful career,” says Ms. Natalya Medunova, Director General of PROGRESS JSC .
Respondents named financial stability (45%), a standardized work schedule (42%), a clear range of responsibilities and tasks (35%), bonuses and various benefits for employees (32%), as well as high salaries (32%) as the main advantages of working professions.
However, some prejudices about working in production still stood out among those surveyed. Most often, among the possible stopping factors, respondents named the lack of a creative component of work (24%), they also mentioned low salaries (24%), high physical activity (22%), health risks (22%), and a lack of career prospects (16%) and of flexible hours (13%). These stopping factors are largely related to outdated ideas and stereotypes about working in the manufacturing segment. Along with the increase in investment flows into the industry and the automation of the processes, work in the production sector is becoming more comfortable and safer for potential employees.
“The problem with occupational stereotypes is that they can negatively impact the labor market. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and a number of foreign institutions note that stereotypes about professions are a consequence of people’s low awareness of them. The best way to combat prejudice is to organize career guidance for students at the school level, where teachers would not only demonstrate or share information about the profession, but would also encourage the students to ask questions about professions and to be interested in them. For adults, eliminating stereotypes when choosing a career is possible, for example, through the widespread publication of forecasts and other future-oriented information about the labor market, with a focus on individual occupations. This will allow the applicants to read labor market signals and receive “live” information about which professions are in demand, where employers are willing to pay well and where it is possible to build a career,” provided her comment on the results of the study Ms. Antonina Levashenko, head of the Russian Center for Competence and Analysis of Standards of the OECD of RANEPA under the President of the Russian Federation.
During the study, the Russian working class shared their opinions on key factors that can increase the attractiveness of blue-collar jobs. The main ones are increasing wages (66%), providing additional bonuses for employees (38%), providing opportunities for professional development and career growth (36%), reducing physical activity due to modern technologies and process automation (33%), provision of additional benefits for industry representatives at the state level (33%), provision of modern equipment (33%), the possibility of additional training and advanced training (31%), among others.
About Avito Careers
Avito Careers is a platform that provides opportunities for finding jobs and employees in the blue and gray collar segment. Every month more than 17 million people of various professions - from couriers and salespeople to accountants and builders - use the Avito platform to look for work. Avito tools make it easier to work with a large number of vacancies and candidate responses.In January 2024, over 2.5 million people and companies posted their advertisements, vacancies and resumes on the platform.
Over 1.9 million employers have joined the website, including the representatives of medium and small businesses. The “Careers” section is frequented by 33.5% of visitors of the Avito website, which equals to approximately 17.6 million people per month throughout the country.