Sectoral practices of career guidance for schoolchildren as a training tool for the regional agro-industrial complex

Introduction. Ensuring human resources for the regional agro-industrial complex amid the industry›s technological modernization is gaining strategic importance for the country›s food security. The proportion of young employees in agriculture accounts for only 9% of the total workforce, necessitating urgent measures to attract youth to the sector. Rural schools are a key partner for agribusiness enterprises and possess the potential to become an integral part of the agro-industrial complex ecosystem for career guidance and training of future personnel. Methods. The study was conducted in 2025 and encompassed all federal districts of the Russian Federation. The methodological framework consisted of a survey of teachers from general education schools and centers of supplementary education (n = 1462), including those from rural areas (n = 320). Results. The findings reveal that teachers in rural schools have insufficient knowledge of regional and local staffing needs, potential investment projects, centers of advanced competencies, opportunities for partnership with industry enterprises, as well as career guidance methodologies. Despite a pressing need, collaboration with employers is nonsystemic in nature. Recommendations are provided for organizing partnerships between schools and agro-industrial enterprises, including within the framework of the Ministry of Agriculture’s “Agro-tech Classes” project.