Government is working on vocational education reform in line with current requirements and market demands: Yulia Svyrydenko

The Government is advancing the reform of vocational education – it must meet the demands of the times and the market. The shortage of skilled workers is currently one of the main challenges in the labour market. This is particularly relevant for sectors critical in wartime conditions: construction, engineering, energy, and processing industries. This was emphasised by Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko today during a working visit to Rivne region.

The Head of the Government inspected the Rivne Vocational College of Restaurant and Hotel Business. The institution was modernised through a joint project of the Ministry of Education and Science and the European Union under the EU4Skills programme.

Entrepreneurs helped equip modern training and practical centres for bakers and restaurant service specialists, as well as a laboratory for innovative food technologies. Students here immediately learn what real employers need in the processing industry and services sector. This format improves the quality of workforce training and ensures a swift transition to actual production.

The college also offers six short-term programmes for adult retraining – an opportunity for internally displaced persons to quickly change profession or acquire new skills.

“The Government is continuing a large-scale reform of vocational education. As of the end of October 2025, 120 training and practical centres have already been upgraded under the ‘100 Workshops’ project,” noted Yulia Svyrydenko. “We continue to engage partners and entrepreneurs, creating conditions for training skilled workers and developing vocational schools. After all, investments in vocational education are investments in the country’s economic capacity.”