The development of information and communication technologies and the formation of a unified information space bring huge potential to the development of society. Specialists in the field of digital economy are increasingly in demand in the labor market. One of the main national tasks related to achieving universal digital literacy is facing all levels of the education system. In today's conditions, cooperative organizations require highly qualified personnel who possess a fundamental base of specialized knowledge and skills, are ready to solve non-standard tasks, and strive to improve their qualifications constantly. Responsible training of IT specialists for cooperative organizations is becoming one of the main factors of competitiveness and development of enterprises. The research discusses approaches and methods of training IT specialists for the economic sector and describes the problems of the formation and development of IT education. The authors analyzed the quality of training and compliance with the competence requirements of young IT specialists for cooperative organizations based on a survey of employers. The research objective is to assess the professional, soft, and special competencies necessary for the work of IT specialists in cooperative organizations based on the survey results. It is determined that the formation of competence in the area of consumer cooperation among university graduates requires the creation of conditions and methods of training, such as the definition of a specialized training program, needs analysis, the program's content, the introduction of practical experience, and feedback from employers and representatives of the cooperative sector. High-quality training of IT specialists in universities is especially in demand, given the growing demand for IT professionals. [For the complete volume, "University 4.0 and Educational Technology for Sustainable Development: Best Practices and Perspectives in Russia and Central Asia. Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects. Volume 75," see ED675741.]