Addressing skills needs in Ukraine

Ukraine is in dire need of a qualified workforce. Addressing skills needs, anticipation and matching will be supported through the quick establishment of Regional VET Councils.

Minister of Education and Science Liliya Hrynevych and Deputy Minister Pavlo Khobzey endorsed draft guidelines setting out the mandate, activities, roles and responsibilities of the councils, which will be tasked, among other things, with matching labour market demands with skills taught through the vocational education system.

The guidelines were agreed to by stakeholders at a recent Policy Lab, organised by the ETF in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science. The latest development is part of the ETF’s ongoing work to support the decentralisation of vocational education in Ukraine, which is part of the broader historic education reforms. In September a new education law was passed which aims to bring the country’s system closer to the European model. Speaking at Policy Lab, Deputy Minister Khobzey described the new law as ‘opening a window of opportunity for vocational education and training.’

(Read more about the ETF’s role in in supporting the strategic reforms in the latest Live&Learn here and on the web here)

The ETF’s Policy Lab coincided with the 17th International Economic Forum where ETF Specialist in Governance and Life-Long Learning Jose Manuel Galvin Arribas spoke about the role of vocational education for skills development in Ukraine.

The annual forum brings together more than 1,000 participants, including state and regional representatives, investors, business leaders, diplomats, bankers, and representatives from international institutions and associations.