News

🏗️ Introductory Meeting of the Working Group on Developing the Professional Standard «Concrete Worker»

🗓️ On August 27, 2025, an introductory meeting of the working group on developing the professional standard «Concrete Worker» took place. It was organized by the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine in partnership with the project «Public-Private Partnership for Improving Vocational Education in Ukraine» with the support of Swisscontact. The event was held in a hybrid format – online and offline.

👥 About 30 people expressed their willingness to join the working group, including representatives of vocational education, the construction business, trade unions, and scientific institutions.

In particular, the following participants joined the introductory meeting of the working group:

👤 Oleksandr Chervak, CEO of the CBU

👤 Svitlana Kravets, Head of the Center for modern professions and training education of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine (Інститут професійної освіти НАПН України), head of the department of foreign vocational education systems, PhD in pedagogy, senior researcher

👤 Anna Arnaut, Senior expert on working with private partners, EdUP project, Swiss Foundation Swisscontact

👤 Maksym Pekhovka, Head of production training, teacher at «Chernihiv professional lyceum of railway transport» Chernihiv Regional Council

👤 Valeriia Nuzhnova, Lead architect at LLC «Center of Waterproofing and Roofing» (ЦГіП - Центр Гідроізоляції і Покрівлі)

👤 Roman Nuzhnov, Deputy chief engineer at LLC «Center of Waterproofing and Roofing»

👤 Oleksandr Slobodyanyk, Head of the «Bila Tserkva Higher Vocational School of Construction and Services»

👤 Stanislav Lypovskyi, Director of «Agrobud»

👤 Oleksandra Korolovych, Deputy director for production work at the vocational (vocational-technical) education institution «Kharkiv Vocation College Of Construction And Industry»

👤 Svitlana Kis, Deputy director for academic affairs at the vocational (vocational-technical) education institution «Kharkiv Vocation College Of Construction And Industry»

👤 Oksana Berdnyk, Head of the Training Center of the Academy «MC BAUCHEMIE» (MC-Bauchemie Deutschland)

👤 Ihor Shumakov, Head of the department of technology and organization of construction production, O. M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv

👤 Volodymyr Buhai, Director of the Educational and Research Institute of construction and civil engineering, O. M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv

👤 Oksana Maslovska, Methodologist at «Kyiv Vocational College of Civil Construction»

👤 Liliia Martynova, Deputy general director for capital construction at LLC «Technomin Engineering»

👤 Dmytro Yermolenko, Professor at the department of highways, geodesy and land management, National University «Yurii Kondratiuk Poltava Polytechnic»

👤 Vladyslav Deineka, Technical specialist at Sika

👤 Bohdan Kindras, Chief engineer at Beton Energo

👤 Oleksii Huniak, Process engineer of the «Concrete» department, PhD in technical sciences, associate professor at LLC «Sika Ukraine», «Lviv Polytechnic» National University

👤 Oleksandra Merlian, Association «Ukrcement» (Ukrcement Association)

👤 Danylo Tymchak, Association «Ukrcement»

📌 The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the launch and preparation of the professional standard «Concrete Worker» with all stakeholders from both business and education.

Special attention during the meeting was given to key issues:

🔸 regulatory and methodological support for the process of developing the draft professional standard «Concrete Worker»

🔸 introduction of all members of the working group

🔸 the tentative work plan of the working group for developing the draft professional standard «Concrete Worker»

💬 «We are focused on a maximally practical approach in developing the professional standard for concrete workers, engaging the opinions of experts at all stages of discussion in order to reflect the real needs of business and modern international practices. The development of the professional standard «Concrete Worker» will make it possible to systematically update approaches to vocational training, take into account modern technologies, and meet the labor market’s demand for qualified personnel», - emphasized Oleksandr Chervak.

📖 The participants discussed the methodology for defining labor functions, work activities, professional competencies, and learning outcomes. It was emphasized that the standard should reflect both full and partial professional qualifications corresponding to the levels of the National Qualifications Framework.

💬 «This activity on developing the professional standard is part of the core tasks of the center for modern professions. At the Institute, we not only develop professional standards for the professions that are already in the classifiers but also create new ones. Therefore, we do have some experience in this work, and I hope that this process will now begin with us», - added Svitlana Kravets.

🔧 The meeting also addressed issues of professional qualifications and training conditions, in particular the possibility of developing short-term courses and educational programs for partial qualifications. The integration of modern technologies into the learning process and into practical work on construction sites was also discussed.

💬 «The involvement of business is aimed at emphasizing its reliability in the development of vocational education, since it is business that possesses knowledge corresponding to the current needs of the labor market. The project has been engaged in the development of the profession, and last year we held discussions, but it turned out that a bit more capacity was needed. That is when we turned to the CBU, and we are very grateful for the support of this initiative — it is extremely pleasant that such an important issue of professional development has been raised», - added Anna Arnaut.

The outcome of the meeting was the identification of the next steps:

💠 formation of the draft framework of the professional standard;

💠 conducting a public discussion;

💠 processing participants’ proposals;

💠 preparation of the document for approval.

🎯 In addition, Svitlana Kravets outlined tasks for the participants before the next meeting: each should think about the purpose of the professional activity «Concrete Worker», formulate it briefly and concisely, as well as work individually on materials and drafts in their free time, sending comments and suggestions via email or through a specially created working chat, so that at the next session this purpose can be effectively discussed and agreed upon.

👉 The next meeting of the working group is tentatively scheduled for September 16, 2025.

📢 The Confederation of Builders of Ukraine invites construction industry professionals to actively participate in the process of developing the professional standard by providing their comments and suggestions, in order to ensure practical and modern vocational training for concrete workers.

WE WILL WIN AND REBUILD EVERYTHING! 💪

TOGETHER TO VICTORY! 

GLORY TO UKRAINE! 💙💛