About the initiative

Despite growing market demand for skilled workers, vocational education and training (VET) is still considered the last option for young people unable to afford a university education. Business companies’ management complains that they have difficulties with filling in their vacancies as the workforce is inappropriately and inadequately trained, which is also true for plumbers. Vocational schools are focused on theory rather than on praxis and do not equip their graduates with modern market demanded skills and competences.

The new Law of Ukraine “On Education” (2017) confirmed the European vector of Ukrainian education development. The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MES) defined modernization of vocational education and training system as the priority for 2017-2020. The Ukrainian Government determines the need to modernize professional education, make it market-oriented and responsive to business needs, introduce dual education . As a result, the funding of professional education modernization increases.

One of the recent changes is that funding of VET schools passed from state level to oblast or municipality level, which created some turbulence as well as new opportunities. Now VET schools more than ever need to develop self-sustaining services and propose them to people interested in continued training (upgrading qualification). That is why GURT Resource Center together with the International Labour Organization enhances the capacity of VET schools through entrepreneurship training.

In response to the challenges faced by Ukrainian society in the field of vocational education, an initiative on upgrading plumbing education in Ukraine was launched and supported by the Ukrainian Government, which allocated 12,000,000 UAH (450,000 USD) to fund the creation of 19 additional training and resource centers (TRC) applying the TRC model, developed by GURT Resource Center.

By joining efforts with key business companies in the industry, the initiative is working towards systemic, constructive and beneficial cooperation to ensure the high-quality training for plumbers, attracting additional resources for the development of vocational education and its orientation to modern technical and technological conditions.