Public Private Partnership to improved plumbing education Ukraine: Status Update Summer 2022

Initial vocational education and training
by Sonja Loosli, Project Manager11.08.2022
It has been almost five months since we first published our status update on the project. We navigated in a turbulent environment strengthening our project resilience and adaptivity. Much has been done since and there are still so many plans before the year-end. 

The EdUP Project continues to operate even under the current difficult conditions, but of course, we are adapting our activities to the circumstances. The safety and security of our project partners and employees are always our utmost priority. Adaptative project management is one of our key working principles that helps us to navigate such difficult times.

Specifically speaking, this means that we are currently conducting most of our activities online. We continue to support our schools to carry on with the educational process, even when it's only possible to do so remotely. We continue to create opportunities for vocational students to build a career. Our experience from the pandemic helps us to continue having a positive impact by making education more resilient.

On top of that, we strive to make an impact in local communities and help meet new challenges by supporting the short-term courses for IDPs and promoting VET professions within the ongoing enrollment campaign. By doing so we keep supporting the VET schools in their communication with businesses and helping them tackle current problems as they arise.

We have developed several interactive textbooks in the form of a mobile application that students can use to continue their learning process without physical presence at the VET school. We are training VET teachers (remotely) on the latest technologies and on modern teaching methods. We are conducting leadership academies for VET school management staff in order to prepare them for the upcoming challenges of recovery.

"We are convinced that the recovery of Ukraine needs a lot of skilled labor. We believe that together with our donors and private sector partners we can shape high-quality vocational education which helps to train these future heroes of reconstruction. Together we can close the skills gap. Together we can help rebuild Ukraine."
Sonja Loosli, Project Manager Public Private Partnership to Improved Plumbing Education in Ukraine

At the same time, the outcome of the Lugano Conference gives us hope and strength to continue preparing for recovery. Together with our donors, we are now preparing for our new project, to continue and scale up our efforts without interruption after the end of the current phase (February 2023). In particular, we are planning to add three main areas of activities: 

  • Recognition of prior learning, to help returning migrants validate and formalize their experience gained abroad.
  • Upskilling and retraining of adults, to help people gain the necessary skills for reconstruction by introducing new short modular courses and partial qualifications.
  • "Heroes of Reconstruction" - an image campaign for VET professions, in order to attract young people to a career in VET.
Ukraine
Initial vocational education and training
Public Private Partnership to Improved Professional Education in Ukraine
Due to the war's impact and technological advancements, Ukraine faces a shortage of skilled labor across sectors, causing concern among companies. Employers are ready to provide competitive wages and modern resources but face challenges due to stereotypes about vocational school graduates. In response, the government has initiated vocational education reforms, emphasizing decentralized vocational education and training to align skills with local economic needs. The Ministry of Education and Science collaborates with businesses and organizations to enhance professional training quality, attract additional resources, and modernize education.