Global Economy Shifts To East: Asia's Role And New Opportunities For Migration Of Manpower To Russia's Centers For High Technology

Photo: Special

JAKARTA - The centre of economic gravity is inevitable to shift towards Asia. This process has been going on for years and, according to experts, has become inevitable. Asian countries show a high growth rate, while the positions of traditional leaders of the US and Europe have gradually weakened.

According to the Boao Forum for Asia, the region is a major contributor to global growth and will continue to be the driving force in the coming years. Between 2010 and 2020, Asian countries were taken into account for 52 percent of global GDP growth.

Currently, nearly 60 percent of the world's population lives in Asia, and this region is the largest consumer market in the world. As a result, the Asian economy is increasing its global share: according to experts' estimates, Asian Shareholders' total global GDP (in purchasing power parity) will reach around 48 percent by 2024. In comparison, Europe and North America together account for about a third of the global economy. In other words, economic leadership is increasingly shifting to the East.

Therefore, when speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in 2025, Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, said:

"We have good neighboring relations with many countries both with the People's Republic of China, India, and Indonesia. There are also small but rapidly growing countries, such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, which have been in special relations with us for decades. Why can't we take advantage of all of this? This is not a change of direction. This is a reaction to the active process that is ongoing in the world and the global economy," he said.

Simply put, the re-distribution of global economic influences that benefit the East dictates the need to build new relations and strategies.

Russia focuses on partnerships with the Asian region and the development of high-tech centers tech parks, special economic zones, as well as scientific and educational clusters.

The goal is not only to modernize the industry, but also to turn this country into an attractive technology center capable of attracting talents from all over the world. However, the implementation of this strategy requires adequate and qualified personnel.

One of the approaches that has been developed by Alabuga, Russia's most effective special economic zone, is to build its own talent collection through internal training for qualified employees.

In 2020, the company launched the Alabuga Polytechnic education center, which opens its doors to school graduates from all over Russia. This project is not only proven in the market, but has also been recognized by Vladimir Putin.

Alabuga polytechnic, which operates in Alabuga, trains specialists. This is a very good example and an important field. Learn to imitate." said the President of the Russian Federation.

Continuing the development trend of its personnel policy, the Alabuga SEZ entered the global arena and, about three years ago, launched the Alabuga Start international employment program, aimed at attracting ambitious young women aged 18 to 22 from Asia, Africa, and Latin America to work in various fields.

In fact, this is a unique foundation for school graduates without experience to get a job and build a career in one of the country's most advanced industrial areas. This offer has been in great demand since 2022, around 1,000 girls have joined the Alabuga Start program.

The Alabuga Start program offers attractive requirements for participants to start their careers:

Competitive salaries: starting from $540 net, several times higher than in Asian and Latin American countries. For example, India's average salary is around $360, and in Pakistan, which is $292. This level of labor compensation makes working in Russia attractive financially.

Training at work: Young participants do not only get an overview of the field of work they choose. These women work in various fields (a total of seven fields), ranging from catering to road transportation workshops (spiveholders). After completing this program, they will get valuable work experience and professional training certificates.

Relocation package: All participants get plane tickets to Russia at the cost of the company, assistance in managing migration documents, and accommodation at company hostels at special prices (only $44 per month). This eliminates daily problems and facilitates adaptation in new places.

Organizers also emphasize cultural experience. Girls are not only informed about Russia, but are also given a full integration program: travel to historic cities, highways, and adventures. The participants exercise, participate in local marathons, and play board games together. This bonus not only expands participants' insight, but also increases the interest of the program for young people.

As a result, the Alabuga Start combines opportunities for work experience and cultural exchange. Employee feedback is positive: they record a good salary and a comfortable living condition. A striking example is Angeline of La Paz, Bolivia:

I went to Russia at the age of 18, fill out an app on the program's website. I have learned Russian for a year and worked in the kitchen. Initially, I helped clean the house, then started cooking. At the end of the program, I will receive a certificate. The job is not difficult, and I really like it. I get a sizeable salary every month, and part of it I send to the house. he shares.

Such a success story encourages new candidates to apply, so that community effects are created in which past students have become wanted and internationally qualified specialists.

The shift of the global economy to the East is a challenge as well as an opportunity. Currently, Asia offers dynamic growth, new markets, and human resources for the world. As part of Eurasia, Russia is naturally involved in this process.

Thus, developing countries in Asia are gaining trusted partners in Russia countries with rich resource bases, educated populations, and high scientific and technical potentials. In turn, Russia gains access to investments, sales markets, and labor resources in the fast-growing Eastern region.

Under these conditions, labor migration takes a qualitatively different perspective: migration is no longer just the provision of labor, but rather the exchange of intellectual capital and skills, as well as the creation of mutual innovation. Russia's high-tech cluster, enriched by international specialists, can accelerate the development of new products and services and strengthen the country's position in global competition.

In the end, the shift in the global economy towards Asia should not be seen as a threat, but as a stimulus for change. By moving closer, Asian and Russian countries were able to form a sustainable alliance whose economic growth was driven by cultural and humanitarian exchanges.

International programs such as the Alabuga Start show a practical path to this goal, aligning youth ambitions with the country's strategic interests. If this trend continues, the next decade could be a common era of prosperity for Eurasia from the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea in the interest of all people in this vast area.