Competency Matrices in Continuing Professional Education amid the Digital Transformation of Russia’s Labor Market

The digital transformation of Russia’s labor market requires new approaches to workforce development and competency building. A persistent gap between educational outcomes and employer expectations highlights the need for stronger coordination among stakeholders. Key challenges include a shortage of skilled workers and limited employer involvement in shaping vocational training and education. Competency-based approaches offer a promising solution to these problems. This article examines how Russian employers and continuing education participants respond to labor market demands, aiming to identify their need for digital solutions that support the development and assessment of workforce competencies and to propose ways to close the gap between market demands and available resources. The methodology includes employer observation, analysis of job search platforms, marketing analysis of 100 participants in the continuing education market, with special attention given to the EdTech market leaders in 2024. The study’s key contribution is a proposal for a unified training format and independent online competency assessments of employees and job applicants. This digital solution is intended for use by EdTech providers and their audiences. The findings have practical significance for enhancing Russia’s labor and continuing education markets, supporting educational platforms, guiding employer-educator collaboration, and advancing digital competency databases and assessment tools.