The Ministry of Economy offers a range of free initiatives through the State Employment Service and in partnership with donors.

What programs are currently available, and for whom?

Training vouchers from the State Employment Service

Individuals can receive compensation for training costs up to UAH 30,280, choosing both the educational institution and profession themselves. Currently, 95 professions and 60 specialties are available. Eligible recipients include:

• Ukrainians aged 45+
• Combat veterans
• People with disabilities
• Internally displaced persons (IDPs)
• Veterans
• Former prisoners of war
• Individuals affected by the war

How to get a voucher?

• Online Application:
  • Fill out the online form for the service. The completed application will be automatically sent to the appropriate employment center.
  • Receive further instructions from a career advisor via the provided email and phone number.
• Offline Application: Visit the nearest employment center for a personal consultation on obtaining a training voucher.

More information: https://dcz.gov.ua/profnavch/voucher.

Training and Retraining at Vocational Training Centers (VTCs)

These centers operate in 8 regional centers: Odesa, Poltava, Dnipro, Rivne, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, and Sumy. Currently, 98 working professions and over 400 advanced training courses are available.

The service is free for veterans, individuals with disabilities due to the war, and registered unemployed persons.

If you are an employer looking to retrain your employees, you can contact a Vocational Training Center (VTC) under the State Employment Service and sign a training agreement.

Additionally, businesses can participate in the reform of VTCs by joining the Supervisory Board, where they can influence the design and delivery of training programs.

To join the Supervisory Board of a VTC, please reach out to the vocational training centers of the State Employment Service in your city.

More information: https://dcz.gov.ua/profnavch/ubdptu and https://dcz.gov.ua/profnavch/navchbezrab.

Partner Programs

ReSkill UA

A free retraining and upskilling program for Ukrainians in 11 fields, including sales, energy, project management, construction, marketing, manufacturing, retail support, supply chain management, logistics, entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.

The program offers: scholarships for training, mentorship, and employment opportunities immediately upon course completion.

The second wave of applications is ongoing, open to anyone seeking a modern profession. ReSkill UA is implemented by Happy Monday and the international platform Coursera, supported by the USAID Competitive Economy Program and the Ministry of Economy.

More information: https://happymonday.ua/reskill.

School of Construction Equipment Operators

This training program enables individuals without prior experience in operating construction equipment to acquire a new profession.

Requirements:

• Candidates must be 18+ years old at enrollment.
• Women are particularly encouraged to apply.
• A medical examination is required.

What participants receive:

• Operator qualification for specialized construction equipment (categories D1-D2)
• 9 weeks of in-person training in small groups
• Practical training on 15 types of specialized equipment
• State-recognized certificate of qualification
• Employment assistance after graduation

Implemented with support from the USAID Competitive Economy Program, Nemishaevo College, and Alef Stroy in partnership with the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine.

More information: https://alefstroi.ua/ua/page/school-of-operators.

Reskilling Ukraine

Run by the Swedish non-profit Beredskapslyftet, this project helps Ukrainian women train as drivers of trucks, buses (OnTrack program), or construction equipment (Iron Women program). The program is free and open to women across Ukraine.

The OnTrack program includes both theoretical and practical training, with sessions at a driving school. In addition to driving skills, all participants complete additional training, including a course on providing first aid.

The project will continue in 2025, with new program enrollments starting in January 2025.

In addition to supporting women, Reskilling Ukraine offers free training programs for veterans as part of the Unit 6.0 initiative.

More information: https://reskillingukraine.professionalcenter.se/.

Learn AI with Google

The Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and Google Ukraine have launched a platform offering free resources for learning artificial intelligence (AI). The courses are free and available in both Ukrainian and English.

The training is designed for both beginners and experienced professionals and features a flexible schedule, allowing participants to choose study times that suit them best.

The project is implemented by Google Ukraine as part of its long-term collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and with informational support from the Diia.Education platform.

More information: https://grow.google/intl/ua/ai-trainings/.

USAID Competitive Economy Programs of Ukraine 

The USAID Competitive Economy Program of Ukraine regularly supports training and retraining projects for Ukrainians in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy. Recently, a selection of companies was announced to implement a project aimed at helping youth, women, veterans, people with disabilities, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) integrate into the labor market, particularly in sectors such as construction and logistics. A total of $1.8 million has been allocated for this initiative.

Another program, UA Global – Etsy Start, combines training with the opportunity to receive funding to promote personal brands on the Etsy platform. More details: https://uaglbl.org/uk.

The ReSkill UA project offers another opportunity for training and upskilling. Participants gain access to courses from Google, IBM, Meta, and other global leaders on Coursera, one of the largest online learning platforms. More details: https://happymonday.ua/reskill#rs_about.

More information on educational opportunities from the USAID Competitive Economy Program of Ukraine: https://www.facebook.com/usaidcep.ua.

Stanford Ignite Ukraine

Two cohorts of the Stanford Ignite Ukraine program have already been completed, with the second currently underway. The third cohort is set to launch in the fall of next year.

The program includes: one week of in-person training at the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU), four weeks of online learning, and three weeks of in-person training at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, one of the world’s leading business schools

The organizers cover the cost of tuition and accommodation near the campus.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn from top experts, master modern business strategies, and contribute to the sustainable development of Ukraine’s economy.

In addition to theoretical learning, participants will work in teams on real business projects, which they will present to investors and entrepreneurs at the end of the program.

The Stanford Ignite Ukraine program is implemented by CfE Accelerator at UCU and the Stanford Graduate School of Business, with support from the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the USAID Competitive Economy Program of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Catholic University.

More information: https://ucucfe.com.ua/education/programs/stanford-ignite-ukraine/.

Training by Projector Foundation

The Projector Foundation has conducted three waves of online training for women in the creative and IT industries.

Eligible participants included unemployed women aged 18 and older who are internally displaced or were forced to leave Ukraine due to the war.

The training was implemented by the Projector Foundation with financial support from the EU and informational support from the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine.

The Projector Foundation continues to develop new learning opportunities. You can stay updated via the following link: https://www.prjctrfoundation.com.