A strange situation has developed in Ukraine: on the one hand, the labor market suffers from a high level of unemployment, and on the other hand, there is an acute shortage of qualified workers. The professions of builders, welders, turners and locksmiths have become a real shortage. The main reason for this is that labor specialties are considered “unfashionable”, vocational schools are closed due to underfunding, and young people do not want to do hard physical work for meager salaries.
The reduction of professional education and the mass outflow of specialists abroad threaten the economic stability of the country. Who will repair the roads, build housing or support the work of industrial enterprises? And the main question is whether it is possible to change this situation before it is too late?
Why are masters disappearing
A crisis has been brewing in the country for a long time, which was difficult to foresee a few years ago. Labor professions are rapidly disappearing from the market, and highly qualified craftsmen are becoming a real shortage. At first glance, there are many unemployed people in the country, but at the same time, finding a good welder, carpenter or tool fitter becomes a real challenge.
According to the State Statistics Service, in 2023, 99,900 people entered vocational and technical education institutions. While there are 250.1 thousand entrants to institutions of higher education. This trend continued in previous years as well. At the same time, the MES declares that the situation has improved somewhat in 2024, as almost 95,000 entrants entered vocational and technical education institutions. The regional order volume increased by 4% compared to the previous year (92% versus 88%). Most often, entrants chose the following professions: cook, locksmith, electric gas boiler, confectioner, driver, and tractor driver. The top three in terms of the largest number of applications by regional order included:
- Dnipropetrovsk region – more than 5.4 thousand;
- Lviv region – almost 4.8 thousand;
- the city of Kyiv – more than 4.5 thousand
And among the regions for state-ordered training, the following top was formed:
- Kharkiv region – more than 800;
- Odesa region – 435;
- Khmelnytskyi region – more than 420.
Vocational and technical schools and higher educational institutions have long been engaged in an unequal struggle for the attention of applicants. And if universities look like a glamorous magnet, promising a prestigious future and status work in the office, then vocational schools often remain in the shadows, doomed to fight for every student. Universities, like sophisticated marketers, lure with bright diplomas, fashionable specialties and the illusion of easy success. At that time, vocational schools, which actually offer real skills and promising careers, have neither the resources nor the big promises to convince young people of their value.
This battle becomes even more dramatic because of the social stereotype that studying at a university is prestigious, and the working profession remains for those who could not enter higher education because of a lack of knowledge or funds. Meanwhile, the shortage of skilled workers is growing rapidly, and a skilled welder or turner already earns more than many white-collar workers.
It is obvious that vocational schools still not only lose in this pursuit, but even do not have an equal start. And until the state and business become their allies, and society changes its attitude, this struggle will remain unequal.
The problem began with the reduction of vocational schools. Lack of funding, outdated material and technical base and low popularity among young people took their toll. Currently, the situation is such that many educational institutions have closed, and those that remain are barely surviving. Instead, universities continue to train armies of lawyers, economists and managers for whom there is no real demand.
Such a phenomenon is quite understandable. Young people do not want to choose professions associated with physical labor and low earnings. Labor specialties are no longer respected as they were 30-40 years ago. And in modern culture, office professions or blogging are gaining popularity, where it is not about calluses on hands or work in production.
Another reason was the mass outflow of personnel abroad. Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany are actively luring Ukrainian craftsmen with high salaries and better working conditions. Those who have acquired a profession in Ukraine often do not even think of staying, but rather look for an opportunity to leave.
The shortage of skilled workers is already affecting key sectors of the economy. Industrial enterprises cannot fulfill orders on time due to lack of personnel. Construction companies are faced with the fact that there are no masters, and those who are, set exorbitant prices for their services. Repair of roads, communications, and housing stock is delayed due to lack of contractors.
As a result, this increases the cost of works, inhibits the development of infrastructure and reduces the competitiveness of Ukrainian enterprises. Businesses are forced to spend more time and money looking for specialists, and the state loses opportunities for economic growth. If this situation continues, Ukraine risks ending up in a labor collapse. A shortage of workers can lead to the decline of many industries, especially industry, construction and agriculture. Young people, not seeing prospects, will continue to leave abroad, and those who remain will work mainly in the service sector or in the shadow sector.
Working professions as the backbone of the economy
Previously, vocational schools were the basis of the labor potential of the country. In Soviet times, working professions were considered prestigious, and admission to a vocational school opened a stable path to a guaranteed job. Parents often advised their children to choose these institutions, because after graduating from the school, graduates easily found work in factories, construction, transport companies or in agriculture.
Every year, vocational schools graduated tens of thousands of young specialists who ensured the smooth operation of key sectors of the economy. Engineers, builders, electricians, welders – all these specialties formed the backbone of industry.
VET also had a close connection with real production needs. For example, large factories and enterprises financed educational institutions, providing them with equipment and places for practice. Many schools even worked “to order”, training personnel specifically for specific industries.
The popularity of the vocational school was reinforced by the fact that the workers received good salaries, as well as respect in society. A worker with experience could earn no less than a young engineer, and manual labor was perceived as a decent way to provide for the family.
Decline began when society’s priorities changed. Labor professions have lost their former attractiveness, and the vocational education system itself has become a victim of financial cuts and indifference. Now we feel the consequences of this decline, but we still remember the times when skill and work were valued on a par with intellectual professions.
Attitudes towards labor specialties in foreign countries
In many foreign countries, vocational education occupies an important place in the personnel training system and has a much higher level of recognition than in Ukraine. For example, in Germany, working specialties are not at all perceived as a “backup option” for those who did not enter university. There, the dual education system allows students to study theory at the school and work at the company at the same time. After completing their studies, graduates receive not only a diploma, but also real experience, which is highly valued in the labor market.
In Switzerland, about 70% of young people choose professional and technical education. Many go to study to become locksmiths, builders, plumbers or other craftsmen, because these professions guarantee a stable income and social status. In turn, the state and business actively support this system, because they perfectly understand that without qualified workers the economy simply will not function.
In Scandinavian countries such as Denmark or Finland, vocational education is also considered prestigious. Graduates of such institutions have clear prospects for career growth, and salaries in many craft occupations can be higher than those of office workers.
An important aspect is the society’s attitude to labor specialties. In Western countries, physical labor is not considered something “inferior” or “unworthy”. On the contrary, craftsmen are perceived as professionals in their field, and their work is respected. A plumber or an electrician there is not ashamed of their profession, because it symbolizes not only professionalism, but also economic independence.
As for personnel training, EU and North American countries are actively orienting educational programs to the real needs of the labor market. If the demand for welders, carpenters or machinists increases in the region, educational institutions quickly respond to these changes, providing production with new personnel.
Thus, the success of vocational education abroad is based on the support of the state, business and society. Working professions there are not only prestigious, but also financially profitable, which ensures their popularity among young people.
Popularization of working professions in society
Before it’s too late, the state and Ukrainian business must join forces to restore the lost prestige to working professions. It is likely that young people may be interested in scholarships, grants, exciting competitions for students of vocational schools. All this can change their attitude towards such specialties.
Modernization of vocational education should become another key to change. It is important to invest in equipment upgrades so that students learn to work with modern technologies and feel ready for the challenges of the market.
The MES reports that in 2025, it is planned to open about 100 new workshops and laboratories for vocational and technical education institutions that will train specialists for key sectors of the economy. The government is going to allocate UAH 540 million for the implementation of these plans. These funds will be directed to the creation of modern educational spaces in different regions of the country. This year, not only vocational education institutions, but also professional colleges financed from local budgets are expected to join the program.
As of 2024, 88 new workshops in vocational and technical education institutions have already been opened in the country. The state needs competitive specialists to boost the country’s economy in such fields as mechanical engineering and energy, production automation, robotics, welding and metalworking, electrical engineering and electronics, construction and civil engineering, transport and logistics. In addition, regions were allowed to submit applications for the preparation of project documentation for energy efficiency initiatives, the implementation of which is planned for 2026.
But it is worth remembering the most important thing – without a decent salary, even the best education does not keep specialists in the country. Employers should rethink their salary policy. If you want to keep employees, start valuing their work. Business partnership with educational institutions is also important. Large companies can invest in schools, forming personnel for their own needs. This will not only solve the problem of shortage of specialists, but also create new jobs.
The decline of professional and technical education has become one of the most acute problems, which is already affecting the economy of Ukraine today. The lack of skilled workers inhibits the development of construction, industry and infrastructure. The closure of vocational schools, the outflow of personnel abroad and the indifference of young people to physical labor have created a vicious circle that can lead to a labor collapse. The state, which seeks to rebuild enterprises and infrastructure after the war and then develop, must learn to invest in the necessary professions, so as not to leave the country without workers.
