The Project “From Class to Work” — an Opportunity for Businesses and Professionals

The Business Development Fund is implementing the Retraining Project “From Class to Work,” which is part of the Multi-Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery. The goal of the Project is to unite the efforts of the state, businesses, and international partners to build Ukraine’s modern human capital — particularly in sectors that will be crucial for post-war recovery.

The Project helps businesses retrain blue collar workers, while providing individuals with new professions and competitive salaries.

Andriy Hapon, Chairperson of the Management Board of the Business Development Fund, emphasizes:

“Today, Ukrainian businesses need not only material resources but also people ready to acquire new skills to meet the needs of the labor market. We are prepared to provide businesses with trained personnel and, through the Project’s funds, compensate the costs of their adaptation. This is real support for business in wartime conditions.”

Synergy of the State, Business, and Labor Market

The initiative is actively supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, which coordinates the processes of vocational training and digitalization of educational programs.

Dmytro Zavhorodnii, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, notes:

“Our goal is to make vocational education as flexible and practical as possible. Education must quickly respond to the needs of the economy — especially in wartime, when every professional contributes to the country’s resilience.”

Employment services also play a vital role in the Project’s implementation — helping match business needs with candidate capabilities and promoting effective employment.

Olena Melnyk, Deputy Director of the Department for Employment Policy Implementation at the State Employment Center, says:

“It’s particularly important today to connect employers’ needs with people’s aspirations for new opportunities. The Project ‘From Class to Work’ builds this bridge — between the labor market, education, and real employment. Through retraining, people not only find jobs but also regain confidence in their future.”

Why Businesses Should Join

Participation in the Project offers businesses several unique benefits:

• Free workforce solutions – the Fund provides training for qualified workers in technical professions;
• Motivated candidates – each participant undergoes training tailored to specific business needs;
• Financial support – businesses receive €300 for adapting each new employee in the workplace.

These incentives foster genuine synergy between the labor market, the state, and international donors supporting Ukraine’s economic recovery.

Mykyta Kuleshov, GIZ Advisor, highlights the international dimension:

“We want Ukraine’s recovery to be based on people — their knowledge, skills, and readiness to grow. That’s why international partners have joined forces under Skills4Recovery to support vocational education and meet the real needs of the labor market. This enables people to confidently plan their future — through partnership, trust, and collective effort toward sustainable development.”

From the business perspective, the Project is also a real tool for strengthening workforce stability.

Valerii Reshetniak, CEO of robota.ua, notes:

“The labor market is changing faster than ever. We see proactive companies already investing in retraining their future employees — an investment not only in people but in their own stability. That’s why participation in the Project funded by donors is an additional advantage for Ukrainian businesses.”

About the Project

The Project “From Class to Work” is implemented with financial support from the European Union, Germany, Poland, Estonia, and Denmark within the Multi-Donor Skills4Recovery Initiative, carried out by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL).

Enterprises from all economic sectors can participate, with priority given to construction, transport and logistics, agriculture, and services.

How to Join

Apply on the Business Development Fund’s website at: 👉 https://tinyurl.com/3z9mhkys