In 2000, he graduated from West Kazakhstan State University as an economist and mathematician and was lecturer there until 2001.

[1] From 2001, Şapkenov worked as a leading specialist of the Environmental Protection Fund and Directorate of Nature Management of the Äkimat of West Kazakhstan Region.

[1] In January 2012, Şapkenov was appointed as the deputy äkim of West Kazakhstan Region.

From January 2015, he worked as State Inspector of the Department of State Control and Organizational and Territorial Work of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 14 July 2016, when he was appointed as the äkim of Atyrau.

He was eventually dismissed on 22 May 2020 and was subsequently appointed as Vice Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population on 4 June 2020.