Solutions from Ukraine: over 1,000 Ukrainians undergo retraining for blue-collar jobs

Vocational education for adults addresses a pressing need in present-day Ukraine. In late November, the project's culmination event was held, which provided vocational training to 1,375 individuals in six regions of Ukraine.

The press service of the Ukrainian Professional Development NGO reported that.

What is the problem?

Due to the war, the Ukrainian labor market and employers' needs have changed significantly. The economy is experiencing a real shortage of workers in blue-collar professions, and businesses cannot establish their processes without qualified locksmiths, truck drivers, and electric and gas welders.

What is the solution?

The Ukrainian Professional Development NGO addressed these challenges and joined forces with 28 vocational education institutions from Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Lviv, Chernivtsi, and Poltava regions. These institutions were selected as partners through an open competition, and together, they launched free adult training programs this spring.

This initiative was called "Learning for Change: Short-Term Vocational Training Courses for Adults" and was implemented during February-November 2024 by the NGO "Ukrainian Professional Development" within the framework of the "Vocational Education in Ukraine / Skills4Recovery" program, which is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the Federal Government of Germany.

How does it work?

The project was designed to help women and men who seek to obtain or improve their qualifications in the professions necessary for Ukraine's reconstruction.

The short-term training took place based on state vocational schools under certified programs. More than 3,400 people registered to acquire a new profession or improve their qualifications.

Construction, logistics, agriculture, and the service sector were the training focus areas. They trained electric and gas welders, plumbers, locksmiths, category B and C drivers, forklift drivers, electricians, agricultural drone operators, insulation system installers, rehabilitation specialists, logisticians, and laboratory assistants for chemical and bacteriological analysis.

According to the selection results, 1,375 people successfully completed the training. It is worth noting that 56.7% of all graduates were women who were proactive at all stages of the initiative. The project also encouraged veterans, internally displaced persons, people with disabilities, parents of many children, and single parents to take part in the training. Among all participants, such people made up 31%.

After finishing the training, 96% of participants stated that they were either employed or prepared to work in the field they were trained in. This demonstrates not only the significance of such educational programs but also the deliberate stance of each enrolled student: to learn to make a difference and work for the betterment of their country.

"This project is, first of all, about supporting and helping Ukrainian men and women who, due to the war, lost their usual rhythm of professional life. Someone is building everything anew in another city; someone becomes the main breadwinner in the family and strives for financial stability. And some have realized the time to follow their dream and calling is now. We have combined the efforts of many to provide an opportunity to obtain a new, relevant profession for people who, above all, want to be in Ukraine and work for its reconstruction," commented Iryna Fomenko, Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian Professional Development NGO.

^{Photo: Ukrainian Professional Development NGO}

"The war has caused an acute shortage of qualified workers in Ukraine. The Skills4Recovery program and partners support vocational education providers to ensure quality education and training for youth, adults, and vulnerable groups. We aim to strengthen them so that they can significantly contribute to Ukraine's recovery and economic stability," Michael Paulo, Director of the Skills4Recovery Program, GIZ GmbH, said.

For reference:

A free retraining program has been launched in Ukraine for women who want to gain skills in operating construction equipment, including excavators and front-end loaders.