Ukrzaliznytsia has announced the launch of two motivational programs aimed at attracting young people to the railway industry. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the company's official statement. The initiative includes a corporate scholarship for final-year students and a "Start-up Bonus" program for graduates who have already completed their studies. According to Ukrzaliznytsia, the goal of the programs is to provide young people with financial support, official employment, social guarantees, and prospects for professional growth in one of the country's largest state-owned companies.
Corporate scholarship: terms and payout amounts
The first program is designed for final-year students of colleges, vocational-technical schools, and universities studying on a full-time (day) basis. Participants who pass the competitive selection and sign a contract with the company receive a monthly payment of 50% of the minimum wage for six months — from January to June. According to the figures cited in Ukrzaliznytsia's statement, this amounted to approximately 4,000 hryvnias per month at the time of the announcement. After completing their studies, graduates are required to take up employment at Ukrzaliznytsia within six months and work at the company for at least half a year. Applications may be submitted by students who meet certain criteria, which the company promised to detail in the near future.
"Start-up Bonus" for graduates: up to 78,000 hryvnias
The second program — the "Start-up Bonus" — is aimed at those who have already completed their education and are ready to start working. Graduates of vocational-technical schools, colleges, and universities who take up specific working and engineering-technical positions at Ukrzaliznytsia receive an additional payment of up to 78,000 hryvnias. The company emphasizes that the bonus is intended for specific specialties in demand in the railway's operational activities, which helps to quickly close the staffing gap in technical units.
The PRO youth community and additional opportunities
In addition to direct financial incentives, Ukrzaliznytsia is developing the PRO youth community, which organizes hackathons, internship programs — including abroad — and other formats of professional development. The company stated that it would soon publish the detailed terms of participation in both programs, the competitive selection criteria, and the list of positions covered by the "Start-up Bonus." Thus, Ukrzaliznytsia is building a multi-level system for attracting personnel: from the student bench to the first day of work on the railway.
Context: staffing strategy and service innovations
The launch of programs for young people fits into the broader context of Ukrzaliznytsia's staffing, which in recent years has been actively renewing its workforce and introducing new services for passengers. Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported in detail on the work of the company's conductors, their duties, and areas of responsibility. In addition, on certain routes — international and a number of flagship domestic trains — passengers have been given the opportunity, when purchasing a ticket, to order books that are delivered directly to the carriage at the start of the journey. These initiatives, alongside the new programs for young people, indicate the company's attempt to simultaneously strengthen its staffing potential and improve the quality of service.
