The training of professional cadres for the economy as it transitions to innovative development must take account of the current state of the labor market as well as tendencies in workers' labor mobility. These tendencies reflect the degree of concentration and reproduction of labor potential in various forms of economic activity, and define qualitative changes in the economy formed on the basis of labor input in the creation of the national product and the corresponding growth of gross added value. It is essential to study the labor and employment sphere as these processes are reproducing the country's economic development and revealing the economic resources needed to implement the requirements of labor mobility and, ultimately, planned innovative intentions. This article presents an analysis which is based on statistical data characterizing the current labor market as well as sociological survey data that can serve as the basis for judging employers' priorities and workers' motives in various spheres of economic activity. Although there is a mismatch between the needs of the economy and the educational system, reforms in Russian education should not be rushed into, since there is still a lot of confusion and uncertainty about current trends as well as the effects of previous reforms. More change would just increase uncertainty and dysfunction. (Contains 4 tables, 1 figure and 5 notes.) [This article was translated by Kim Braithwaite.]