Career guidance, training and earning money. A modern culinary hub created at Vasylkiv College
- Feb 23
- 6 min read
In place of the old 40-litre pots is now an iVario ‘culinary computer’, and the Soviet tiles have been replaced with porcelain stoneware and modern ventilation. At the Vasylkiv Professional College in Kyiv region, the old 1960s workshops have been transformed into an innovative culinary career guidance hub.
Now, not only are students taught here, but schoolchildren are also invited to see what vocational training is like, and chefs from large retail chains hold master classes here. The plans include conducting vocational training lessons for schoolchildren, training chefs for school canteens and adults on vouchers, as well as manufacturing their own products.
This project has been made possible through cooperation with the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE Project, with support from the Kyiv Regional Council and the Kyiv Regional State Administration, as well as the tremendous efforts of the educational institution’s staff and students. The total budget amounted to over UAH 5.5 million.
‘This hub is part of the school nutrition and vocational education reform. It is here that school chefs from communities in Kyiv region will undergo retraining. But most importantly, the space will become a ticket to the world of professions for schoolchildren from Vasylkivska community and college students. I am grateful to all our business partners who are ready to work with us to develop this hub and invest in young people – this is an investment in the future of Ukraine’s economy,’ says Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project Manager.
‘Events like this lay the foundation for the future of vocational education. Thanks to spaces like this, we will be able to develop innovative approaches to the catering industry,’ said Iryna Shumik, Director General of the Directorate of Vocational Education at the Ministry of Education and Science, at the opening ceremony.
We are describing how funding was secured, why students were involved in the renovation, and what results are expected from the space.
From boarding school workshops to a modern space
A year ago, the modern space was home to ordinary workshops for the profession of a chef. The premises, built in the middle of the last century, were ill-suited to modern cooking.
‘These were workshops built in the 20th century. When the need arose to teach children in the region new professions, we adapted these premises as best we could. But thanks to the grant, we decided to use this space more effectively. Now it caters to a wider range of people, including those with special educational needs. We have created a separate entrance and an inclusive toilet. Now there are 32 workplaces, wonderful renovations and modern equipment,’ says Liudmyla Postolenko, Director of the College.
The renovation process took six months, starting in January 2025, and proved to be a real challenge. In order to save money for the complete renovation, the dismantling was performed in-house by employees and students: builders and electric welders.
‘It was hard, rough work. We knocked down the old plaster down to the bricks and dismantled the ceiling. Students and staff worked in winter with the windows open. In the end, we completely replaced the electrical network, power cables, sewage system, ventilation system, plastered the walls and floor, and fitted the walls and floors with porcelain stoneware, adhering to DECIDE design and colour scheme,’ recalls Hanna Bondar, Deputy Director for Educational and Production Work at Vasylkiv Professional College.
Some partner companies gave the college a discount because they have been cooperating for a long time. For example, Ventilation Systems LLC provided equipment and a discount for the installation of supply and exhaust ventilation, while EPICENTR LLC and Impuls LLC promptly delivered high-quality construction materials.
How more than UAH 5 million was raised and how it was spent
The creation of such a hub is an example of effective co-financing. Grant funds from DECIDE (approximately UAH 3.7 million) were used exclusively to purchase high-tech equipment. However, the renovation of the premises, which cost more than UAH 2 million, was the result of cooperation between the institution, the region, and the city.
‘We renovated the premises using our own special fund and the regional budget. The Department of Education and Science, the regional council and the Kyiv Regional State Administration were very supportive. Every hryvnia was used transparently, honestly and for the benefit of the project,’ emphasises Hanna Bondar.
The core of the hub is its kitchen equipment. Now there is kitchen equipment that can be found in the kitchens of the best restaurants or in the production halls of large chains: combi steamers, blast chillers, planetary mixers, vacuum sealers, sterilizers for knives and eggs, and the iVario system.
‘All of this is aimed at making the chefs’ work easier, speeding up the process and preserving the nutritional properties of the dishes. For example, iVario is a large computer that you program, and it can cook anything from first courses to desserts or deep-fried foods. Today, chefs must be able to not only cook on the stove, but also manage complex innovative processes. This is a requirement of our time,’ explains Ms Hanna.
Such equipment allows graduates to be ready to work in real production and not waste time on retraining.
How and why the hub works
After a year of intensive work with the college, vocational training instructors completed the Agents of Change programme within the framework of the school nutrition reform, implemented jointly by DECIDE, the Ministry of Education and Science, CultFood Yevhen Klopotenko, the Public Catering Association, and the School Nutrition Reform Team.
‘Currently, the vocational training instructors from our college are studying at the hub so that they can pass on their skills to students and schoolchildren and include new recipes using this technological equipment in the curriculum,’ says Liudmyla Postolenko.
The culinary hub has also become a magnet for big business. The college has signed memoranda of cooperation with leading retailers. This is not just a formality: chefs hold master classes here, and companies see the hub as a platform for manufacturing their own branded products.
‘It is nice that the time has come when not the educational institution is “chasing” the employer, but the employer is looking for us. Silpo and NOVUS are ready to conduct master classes. When they saw our equipment, they said, “We did not expect such a level at the college!”,’ says Hanna Bondar.
The hub is not only for the 510 college students. It is set to become a centre of change for the entire community:
Career guidance for schoolchildren. Master classes are organised for students in grades 7–9 to change their view of blue-collar professions.
For example, recently, schoolchildren and college students cooked quiche Lorraine and onion soup with chefs from Auchan in the career guidance culinary hub. And they made pizza with representatives from Silpo. There was also a master class with chef and restaurateur Olha Martynovska.
‘The students are surprised and thrilled. They say, “I enjoy cooking at home with my mum, but now I realise that this hobby could become my profession.” Many have already submitted online applications for admission after visiting the hub. This is the best indicator of our work,’ say representatives of the institution.
Workshop lessons as a separate part of career guidance.
School nutrition reform. Here, school and kindergarten chefs will be taught to cook new menus. The goal is to show that quality food can be served in regular schools if the right equipment and skills are available.
Training for adults. The college offers short-term courses and voucher-based training for anyone who wants to change careers or improve their qualifications.
Motivation for other educational institutions to seek funding and purchase innovative equipment, which is essential to meet current demands.
Plans: to earn money and develop
College officials openly admit that the hub is intended to generate income. This aligns with the modern vision of vocational education, in which institutions become centres of commercial activity.
‘We did not build this hub to display equipment like museum exhibits. We want it to operate non-stop. We plan to make orders for the public and provide catering services. So that if someone in the city wants to order quality food or learn how to cook, they know: this is Vasylkiv Professional College,’ concludes Hanna Bondar.
The college is currently completing repairs to the bomb shelter so that it can accommodate even more visitors and hold events safely. But it is already clear that this space has changed not only the walls of the workshop, but also the very philosophy of vocational education in the community.
There are already ten career guidance hubs operating in Ukraine in six regions: Kyiv, Lviv, Chernihiv, Poltava, Odesa, and Ivano-Frankivsk. After the pilot phase, their number will grow even more.
The DECIDE project is implemented by NGO DOCCU and PHZH International Projects in Education with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine.