Improving job quality, not only increasing wages, is essential to making Mongolia's cashmere sector more attractive to youth according to a survey carried out by the International Labour Organization (ILO)
Conducted by the Korea Labor and Employment Service (KLES) between March and November 2025 the survey took place under the Youth Employment Promotion Project (YEPP) in Mongolia funded by the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme (I-KORP).
Involving nearly 600 respondents, the research analyzed employment structures, skill demands, working conditions and youth employment preferences in Mongolia's cashmere industry.
Key findings revealed 10-20 per cent labour shortages and high initial turnover rates, highlighting the need for improved job attractiveness and working conditions. The survey also revealed that young people identify skill development, supportive workplace relations and low-stress environments as key factors in choosing and staying in jobs.
The findings were presented during a workshop held in Ulaanbaatar from 17 to 21 November 2025, where government, employers' and workers' representatives discussed how to translate the evidence into practical measures for strengthening youth employment.
Proposed initiatives include enhancing enterprise-level human resource practices, expanding opportunities for skills upgrading, and supporting smoother school-to-work transitions in the cashmere industry. Discussions also considered options for extending and scaling up I-KORP's support beyond 2027.
During the workshop five cashmere enterprises which have piloted the ILO SCORE (Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises) Programme in the sector presented their early results and examples of good practice.
SCORE is designed to boost productivity and working conditions in small and medium-sized enterprises, by promoting improved workplace cooperation, quality management and human resource development.
Preliminary outcomes point to improved workplace organization and communication, with plans to deepen the programme's emphasis on expanding youth employment starting in 2026.
"The message from young people is unmistakable: decent work is about more than wages," said Shin Hochul, Chief Technical Adviser of the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme (I-KORP). "To attract and retain youth in Mongolia's cashmere sector, enterprises must invest in skills development, strengthen workplace cooperation and create safe, supportive environments where young workers can thrive."
The Youth Employment Promotion Project (YEPP) in Mongolia is being implemented with national partners including the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Protection, the Mongolian Wool and Cashmere Association and the Mongolian Industrial Trade Union Federation. Together, they aim to ensure that the cashmere sector can offer decent and sustainable employment opportunities for the country's young women and men.
