SMART SPECIALIZATION AS A VECTOR OF FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION LABOR MARKET

Introduction. The European integration vector of Ukraine's development requires its regions to apply innovative methods and operational strategies. Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is currently implementing a regional development strategy for the period up to 2027. As part of the implementation of the strategy, there is a need to develop proposals for the formation of the labor market of the region in accordance with smart requirements, which should contain strategic vectors of the development of the labor market for the growth of the economic and scientific potential of the region. The article discusses the smart-specialization methodology, which is the basis of the political and economic functioning of the regions of the European Union and the optimal way to combine the interests of all target groups of the region. The peculiarities of the use of smart-specialization in the development strategy of the Dnipropetrovsk region until 2027 were analyzed, the main trends of the labor market of the region were investigated. Goal. The purpose of the article is to reveal the economic essence of smart-specialization of the region's development and to identify directions of formation of the region's labor market in accordance with the smart-concept for competitiveness and innovative activity of the region. Materials and methods. The basis of the study is a dialectical method and a systematic approach to the study of the essence of smart-specialization as a tool of strategic development. For the study of smart-specialization of the development of the Dnipropetrovsk region, general scientific and special methods were used, namely: analysis and synthesis — to study the essence of smart-specialization; logical generalization — for the formulation of proposals for the introduction of smart-specialization for the formation of the regional labor market; graphic — for a visual representation of the research results. The results. The research results are a set of criteria for the implementation of the labor market formation strategy in accordance with the smart specialization of the region, the mission, vision and strategic directions of the Dnipropetrovsk region's labor market formation have been developed.