Ukraine
We stand with Ukraine
Together with the European Union and its Member States, we express our full solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people and condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia's unprovoked and unjustified military aggression, which grossly violates international law and the UN Charter, and undermines international security and stability.
Supporting human capital development
With a track record of collaborative efforts spanning 30 years, the European Training Foundation (ETF) continues to work closely with Ukrainian authorities, EU services and international organisations, to facilitate Ukraine’s integration into the EU, support the reform of the education system, enhance training opportunities, and improve labour market dynamics.
In line with the Ukraine Plan, which focuses on Ukraine’s recovery, reconstruction and modernisation, and the reforms as part of its EU accession process, the ETF’s strategy is comprehensive and multi-faceted.
More specifically, our support aims at:
- modernising governance arrangements and identifying skills needs in key economic sectors. We aim to support immediate needs and lay the foundation for long-term development and EU integration.
- enhancing qualifications frameworks, integrating micro-credentials, and developing competence-based assessment methodologies. We invest in teacher training, career guidance, and in establishing vocational excellence centres.
- developing key competences in green technologies, digital skills, and entrepreneurship. We also support the modernisation of labour market information systems and the functional analysis of the State Employment Service to align with EU standards.
Through its Skills Guarantee proposal, the ETF is – together with the European Commission – part of the Skills Alliance announced at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in June 2024.
The EU’s first regional programme supporting education reforms and skills in the Eastern Partnership region was formally launched in Turin in May 2024. This EUR 2.5 million, three-year (2024–26) programme – to be implemented by the ETF – aims to enhance the efficiency, quality, equity, equality and relevance of education systems in five countries of the region, including Ukraine.
Read our 2024 update on Key policy developments in education, training and employment (ETF, 2024). For a quick overview, see below:
2024 developments at a glance
📜 Application for EU membership: the accession negotiations officially began in June 2024, marking a significant step in Ukraine’s journey towards EU integration and membership;
💶 EU support for stability and recovery: the approval of the Ukraine Plan, a comprehensive reform and investment strategy, enables regular financial support from the EU’s €50 billion Ukraine Facility. This helps Ukraine sustain its administration, pay salaries and pensions, deliver essential services, and support recovery – all while defending against Russian aggression;
🔍 Focus on skills: Ukraine’s key priorities include strengthening the workforce, aligning skills with labour market needs, and creating decent job opportunities. The Skills Alliance, established at the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024, secured a three-year, €700 million funding package to support 180,000 workers, including retraining displaced workers and reintegrating women into the workforce;
🎓 Education for post-war recovery: education is a top priority for developing a modern, skilled, and resilient workforce capable of driving economic growth and achieving the country’s USD 1 trillion GDP goal. The Strategic Action Plan 2027, titled Education of Winners, targets preschool education, digital transformation, quality higher education, and transformation of professional education;
🏫 Strategic reform for Vocational education and training (VET): the new law of Ukraine, On Vocational Education, will support improvements, including increased access and inclusivity, integration of innovative teaching methods, and a greater emphasis on public-private partnerships. A target of 10 new Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) by 2026 is set to increase the responsiveness of vocational education to local labour market needs;
🛠️ Work-based learning (WBL): the implementation of the reformed Dual Education Plan helps students spend up to 70% of their training in real-world work environments, helping to tackle the skills shortage, as well as align vocational education with local labour market needs;
💼 Labour market challenges: conflict-driven mobilisation and emigration have caused widespread labour shortages. Six million Ukrainians remain abroad, and 3.5 million are internally displaced. With just over half of the working-age population employed, there is significant skills mismatch, and 43% of employers are struggling to find qualified staff. Ukraine is implementing a strategy to support small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), crucial for labour market recovery;
👦 👧 Youth in focus: a working group led by the Deputy Ministers for Youth, Sports, and Economy is established to coordinate efforts to adapt the Youth Guarantee to the specific needs of Ukraine’s young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs).
💻 Digital skills development: an increased focus on enhancing digital access through initiatives like the Professional Education Online Platform and Diia.Education. Teenagers, in particular, have shown rapid growth in digital literacy although a lack of devices is an ongoing challenge;
📉 PISA results and trends: the lower proficiency levels in mathematics, reading, and science of 15-year-olds covering 18 of 27 Ukrainian regions are consistent with the global downward trend, although the impact of the war is an additional factor to be taken into consideration;
Priorities for 2025
👉 The roll-out of the National Employment Strategy will target structural reforms and modernisation, crucial for post-war reconstruction;
👉 The Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025, July 2025, will be dedicated to the swift recovery and long-term construction of Ukraine.