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🤝 Uniting Business, Education, and Government to Train Construction Workers for Ukraine’s Reconstruction

The construction sector is a driving force behind Ukraine’s recovery, and it is facing a critical shortage of skilled workers. 70% of companies report staffing shortages, with the lack of specialists ranging from 40% to 70%.

To overcome this challenge, joint efforts are needed from the business community, government, vocational education institutions, and international partners. One such platform for dialogue was the CBU Business Day, organized by the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine (CBU) on June 18, 2025, with the support of the Bridging Skills for Construction project under the multi-donor Skills4Recovery initiative. The event focused on experience sharing and finding practical solutions for workforce development and sustainable growth in the construction industry.

While the shortage of workers remains a serious issue, an even more pressing problem is the skills mismatch. Addressing this requires close coordination between businesses and vocational training providers to ensure the rapid and high-quality training of specialists in line with market needs and to support their successful employment.

💬 "Despite martial law, the construction sector in Ukraine is growing and developing rapidly. This means not only a growing demand for qualified specialists but also changing requirements from construction companies, and manufacturers of building materials and equipment regarding the skills needed. We can meet these challenges only by working closely with the business community and applying the best international practices. Today, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is actively developing mechanisms to support employers in areas such as on-the-job training, dual education, reducing the duration of training through recognition of prior learning, as well as enhancing cooperation between educational institutions and businesses in updating educational programs and training materials, organizing internships for teachers and students, and implementing joint programs," said Shumik Iryna, Director General of the Directorate of Vocational Education at the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

Key recommendations voiced by representatives of the construction sector to improve workforce development include:

✔️ Updating vocational and educational standards in line with labor market needs.

✔️ Developing dual education and encouraging active business involvement.

✔️ Digitalizing vocational training programs.

✔️ Focusing on short-term training courses.

✔️ Creating reskilling opportunities for veterans, women, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and other employable groups.

✔️ Promoting skilled trades among youth and the broader public.

💬 "Addressing the workforce shortage in the construction sector is only possible through systematic cooperation between business and vocational education. Only by combining efforts can we train skilled workers who meet the demands of today’s labor market. The business community is ready to invest in training, share expertise, and participate in curriculum development — in order to lay the foundation for Ukraine’s recovery and development today," emphasized Lev Partskhaladze, President of the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine.

💬 Oleksandr Chervak, CEO of the CBU, stated: "The current system of workforce training in construction must evolve to reflect the needs of the market. Businesses clearly see the need for digitalized training programs, the development of short practical courses, a real implementation of dual education, and an update of standards. We must not merely adopt foreign practices but adapt them to Ukrainian realities — by launching national initiatives such as eProftech, eFastProject, eDual, ePromotion, eReskill, eUpdate, and eModernization that deliver tangible results. It is critically important that business, the state, and educational institutions work together to prepare the workforce capable of rebuilding the country."

The Skills4Recovery multi-donor initiative supports the training and upskilling of a qualified workforce for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Over 2,400 graduates completed short-term courses last year, including 500 in construction specialties, gaining practical job skills. The initiative also promotes the inclusion of vulnerable groups — women, veterans, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) — and trains instructors and career counselors to work with these groups and support graduates in finding employment.

To strengthen support specifically in the construction sector, Skills4Recovery, in partnership with the newly established CBU Committee, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), launched the project Bridging Skills for Construction — a Roadmap for Workforce Delivery.

This project aims to build a shared vision and practical solutions for workforce training, while fostering effective dialogue between vocational institutions and the private sector. It will help bridge the skills gap, align supply and demand in the labor market, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector amid Ukraine’s reconstruction.

💬 "Ukraine’s recovery begins with people who have the right skills and are ready to meet the challenges of the labor market. Together with the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine, we are bringing together all those who can contribute to workforce development — business, educators, government, and international partners — to create a roadmap for training a skilled labor force that supports the sustainability of the construction sector and provides people with opportunities for professional growth," emphasized Michael Paulo, Director of the Skills4Recovery multi-donor initiative.

💬 Hanna Reznik, Deputy Head of the National Qualifications Agency, presented modern tools of the national qualifications system and spoke about the process of awarding professional qualifications based on non-formal and informal learning.

The event also showcased successful cases of cooperation between construction companies and vocational education institutions. The following representatives shared their experiences:

👤 Leonid Koretsky, Deputy Chairman of the Board of "Trest Zhytlobud-1"

👤 Vitalii Vereshchagin, General director of “Caparol Ukraine”

👤 Dmytro Firsov, Head of Engineering Department, “VEKA Ukraine” LLC

👤 Margarita Romanova, Sales and Marketing Director, “BARK Systems” LLC

👤 Yulia Skichko, Owner, “VBK Elit-Proektbud” LLC (Alef Stroy)

👤 Borys Nikolenko, Director, “Imperatyv UA” LLC

👤 Oleksandr Yamenko, Head of Technical Service Department, “Henkel Bautechnik (Ukraine)” LLC 

👤 Oleksandr Sokyrkin, Head of Training and Technical Support Division, “HERZ Ukraine” 

Educational institutions with relevant experience in such partnership projects also took part in the event.

This type of cooperation is a strategic investment in business resilience and competitiveness, as it opens access to international partner support. Notably, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) actively finances reconstruction projects in Ukraine, placing high demands on the quality and qualifications of the workforce.

Skills4Recovery facilitates collaboration between training providers and companies, enabling the private sector to engage highly qualified graduates of training and reskilling programs in such projects and contribute to Ukraine’s reconstruction overall.

The importance of trade unions and sectoral agreements in guaranteeing the status of construction professions was emphasized by Vasyl Andreev, Head of the CONSTRUCTION WORKERS' UNION of UKRAINE - Profbud. He shared insights on the development of short-term training programs and attracting new workers into the profession.

European practices in the training of construction workers in cooperation with business were presented by Albert Emilio E. Yuson, General Secretary of the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), and Nicole Simons, BWI Deputy President and Vice Chair of IG BAU, the German Trade Union for Construction, Forestry, Agriculture and Environment Workers.

📌 Background:

The Multi Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery aims at supporting initial and further training of skilled labour in four economic sectors relevant to the recovery process: construction, transport, agriculture, services, and manufacturing. The objective is achieved by strengthening the capacities of VET providers in delivering quality and market-oriented educational services, engaging vulnerable groups, as well as cooperating with employers.

Skills4Recovery is financed by the European Union, Germany, Poland, and Estonia. It is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL). It runs until June 2026, and covers all regions of Ukraine. The total budget is EUR 14 million.

The Confederation of Builders of Ukraine (CBU) is the country’s largest industry association, uniting over 900 members and representing more than 100,000 workers in construction and related sectors. CBU’s mission is to foster the development of the construction industry and promote active dialogue around Ukraine’s future reconstruction at all levels.