The economically active population of the oblast is more than 800 thousand people, of whom 88% are employed in various economic fields. The labor resources are noted for their high qualification level: around 40% of the population older than 15 have higher or vocational education, 17% have initial vocational training.

Moreover, the system of secondary and higher education annually graduate around 10 thousand specialists having secondary-vocational training and more than 9 thousand specialists with higher education, who can apply their knowledge in various economic fields.

Currently there is a certain disbalance between supply and demand in the labor market of the Kirov oblast. In 2005 as well as in 2 previous years the labor force supply exceeded the demand 70 thousand people on average annually, these 70 thousand people make up around 8.7% of economically active population.

The average annual of the unemployed in 2005 was 24.1 thousand people (3.0% of economically active population). Of these people around a third have higher and secondary-vocational education, more than 20% have initial vocational education.