The Ukrainian labor market is experiencing an unprecedented personnel shortage crisis. The deficit of qualified staff has become so acute that it is forcing employers to radically change their hiring approaches. Instead of looking for ready-made specialists, enterprises are willing to hire people without experience, employ them, and only then send them for training.
Dmytro Zavhorodniy, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, confirmed in an interview with RBC-Ukraine that the labor shortage has affected almost all sectors of the economy. "Every industry is experiencing a shortage of workers. If you name one, another will come out and say that they are also short-staffed," the official noted.
New Model: Hiring Before Training
In response to market challenges, new schemes for personnel training have begun to be implemented in the regions. A bright example is the experience of Ivano-Frankivsk. There, a public organization created with the support of local entrepreneurs is implementing a project aimed at adults ready to work in industry.
The essence of the approach is simple and effective: the applicant is immediately officially employed, provided with a minimum wage, and granted military deferment. Only after this is the person sent for professional training. "They hire those who are ready to learn, provide them with everything necessary, and accompany them during exams," Zavhorodniy said.
Training in Ivano-Frankivsk takes place at the Higher Vocational School No. 21, where a modern production workshop was created for these purposes.
Scale of the Phenomenon and Comparison with the USA
Ivano-Frankivsk is not an isolated case. Similar practices are gaining momentum in other regions. For example, in one of the vocational education institutions in Dnipro, almost 500 adults undergo short-term courses and advanced training programs per year.
"Three years ago, it was difficult to imagine that hundreds of adults would be studying in vocational education institutions. Now this is a reality," the Deputy Minister emphasized.
Zavhorodniy compared this model to American Community Colleges, where people can quickly acquire a new profession or retrain in a short period.
Effectiveness of Investments Confirmed
The effectiveness of adult training programs was recently analyzed by representatives of the World Bank. The study covered more than 50,000 Ukrainians who underwent training using vouchers from the State Employment Service and the Ministry of Economy.
According to Zavhorodniy, most participants in the programs already had jobs, but after training, they either changed their place of employment or started earning more. The Ministry of Education and Science considers this direct proof of the effectiveness of investments in vocational education and retraining.
Shortage of Technical Staff and Unique Professions
The most acute demand is observed in the technical sector. Employers are actively looking for machine operators, CNC operators, and electricians, offering them high salaries, housing, meals, and other bonuses. There is particularly high demand for specialists in the defense industry.
At the same time, rare and unique training directions still exist in Ukraine. For example, Lviv is home to the only center in the country for training stained glass artists involved in restoration. Also, only two institutions in the country train jewelers.