‘Supermarket of Professions’. How vocational education, business, and authorities in Chernihiv joined forces around career guidance

VR glasses for future train drivers, an agricultural station where you can try growing microgreens and solar mini-batteries that can be connected. Schoolchildren can experience all of these innovations at the new career guidance hub, which is based at the Chernihiv Professional Lyceum of Railway Transport.

The space was created within the framework of the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE Project in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. It began operating as part of a career guidance system that the Project has been piloting with the Ministry of Education and Science since 2024, uniting local authorities, educational institutions, and businesses.

‘This space is an example of effective cooperation between the state, international partners, businesses, and the community to provide high-quality career guidance for young people. Students can analyse their skills and preferences here, try out various blue-collar professions and choose careers more confidently. This is an important contribution to the country’s future, as reconstruction is impossible without qualified vocational school graduates. Such spaces set a new standard for the quality of career guidance in Ukraine. They demonstrate that we are investing not only in rebuilding what has been destroyed, but also in our children, our future, and our human capital,’ said Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, during the opening of the hub.

There are 10 career guidance hubs in six regions of Ukraine: Kyiv, Lviv, Chernihiv, Poltava, Odesa, and Ivano-Frankivsk. After piloting them in vocational education institutions, the number of hubs will increase. The aim is to provide students in Grades 7–9 with the opportunity to learn more about their abilities and aptitudes, and to discover different professions.

‘Many schoolchildren and their parents, who influence their children’s choice of future profession either consciously or unconsciously, simply do not know what opportunities are available in their communities. Unfortunately, people often have outdated ideas about blue-collar professions, viewing them as difficult, low-paid and lacking in prospects. In reality, however, skilled professionals can earn significantly more than lawyers or economists. For example, CNC machine operators earn an average of UAH 50–60 thousand, and there is currently a severe shortage of such specialists. That is why it is important to develop systematic career guidance to help young people make conscious career choices, despite stereotypes,’ says Valentyna Poltorak, Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE Project Manager.

What the hub offers and why it is important for children

‘Opening of the career guidance hub is an important step towards modernising vocational and technical education. After all, career guidance is an investment in people, their future and the restoration and development of the city. In the context of the full-scale invasion and the significant destruction suffered by the Chernihiv region, the need for qualified specialists is particularly important,’ says Vasyl Bilohura, Head of the Education Department of the Chernihiv City Council.

Thus, training and practical areas were set up on approximately 200 square metres of the Chernihiv Professional Lyceum of Railway Transport, each introducing students to a specific field.

Sanitary engineering. Here, students can see how a water purification system works. They can filter water themselves, replace the filter and taste the purified water from a drinking fountain. A slightly more difficult task involves correctly connecting the pipes to the system.

Maksym Podzharyi, the lyceum’s principal, explains that the screen shows a video demonstrating how the city’s water supply system is constructed, how water is purified, and the importance of filtration for the environment.

‘We want children to understand that there are many processes without which life would be impossible. Often, however, we do not even think about how they work. They may be involved in these processes in the future,’ he explains.

The profession of an electrician. Working with specialised, safe laboratory equipment, participants assemble a small model of a solar power station. To do this, they use a battery, a solar panel and a controller. The rest of the group forms the consumer part, installing a switch, a socket and a lamp. Once both parts of the system are connected, a light comes on above the area.

A hydroponic system has been installed in the greening zone, enabling microgreens to be cultivated semi-automatically. Here, the rapid growth cycle of the crops is demonstrated, from sowing to harvesting.

‘Various crops grow in the trays, such as peas, watercress and sunflowers. We show children how seeds germinate in the dark and in the light. We also demonstrate that healthy food can be grown at home and that, if desired, a small business can be started,’ says Maksym Pozharyi.

In the VR zone, virtual reality glasses provide an opportunity to explore places that are typically difficult to access, such as a locomotive driver’s cab or a hazardous industrial facility.

We can also take VR glasses to rural schools so that children get the chance to see modern production facilities. There are also simulators for various professions. For now, children can try being a roofer or a locomotive engineer, and they can also play a game from Chernihivgaz where they have to check the pressure and replace parts in a gas distribution station,’ the principal adds.

Another option is to try a role as a roofer. Although roofing is not a vocational training programme, many people believe that career guidance is necessary. All of these programmes are paid. Vocational schools are gradually purchasing and studying them.

• The technical design workstation is equipped with German kits for assembling mechanisms with robotics components. Students can use it to create electrical and mechanical drives, work with magnets and circuits of varying complexity, and programme ready-made models.

• There is also a workstation equipped with a CNC laser machine where students can cut plywood, hardboard and thin metal sheets themselves, as well as apply engravings.

• In the art studio, children can try their hand at airbrushing and graffiti art, as well as making and painting plaster figurines. There is also a 3D printer that can produce models designed by the children. The teacher helps anyone who wants to learn about drawing and design.

How career guidance was organised at the vocational school, in particular with the help of the Education Department, and what the feedback was like

Career guidance events are held at the Chernihiv Professional Lyceum of Railway Transport every Thursday for two groups of 20–30 children, with sessions running for two hours in the morning and two hours at lunchtime. Each station is supervised by a production training instructor and children work in teams of five to six to move around the circuit and try all the activities. This system was developed in collaboration with the Education Department.

‘Recognising the importance of career guidance and engagement, and with the support of the head of the Education Department, effective communication was established with school principals and parent committees. First and foremost, the importance of career guidance as an investment in children’s futures was explained. Adults often experience dissatisfaction and burnout at work, as psychologists have repeatedly pointed out. One reason for this is choosing the wrong profession in youth; in adulthood, it can be difficult or even impossible to study for one’s dream profession. Career guidance is actually a form of prevention,’ explains Maksym Podzharyi.

Following discussions and explanations, the timetables of the schools and the vocational school were checked, after which each school selected a convenient time on one of the Thursdays. Until the end of 2025, they will be working with Grade 9 students, after which they will involve Grade 8 students. According to estimates, by the end of May, around 1,800 schoolchildren will have the opportunity to attend masterclasses at the career guidance hub.

The vocational school has already received positive feedback from the children who have visited the hub. They say the best thing is that they can touch and try everything. ‘All locations are subject-specific. Therefore, we compare the space to a supermarket, where people can touch and evaluate goods before putting them in their basket. Some people are enthusiastic about VR glasses and are thinking about the future. In the greening zone, visitors are interested not only in planting, but also in trying things out. They often ask what else can be grown there. In the sanitary engineering zone, children are interested in seeing what the filter looks like cross-sectionally and want to try the filtered water. They compare the CNC laser to Star Wars and are amazed that it can cut wood, acrylic and leather. They also love painting plaster figures and putting their hearts into it. They can then take their creations home with them,’ says the principal of the vocational school.

The role of employers

In addition to visiting various locations, schoolchildren enjoy communicating with employers, who often attend these masterclasses. To strengthen its interaction with businesses, the lyceum signs memoranda of cooperation with companies willing to conduct masterclasses, training sessions and other career guidance events for schoolchildren.

An open-plan presentation area has also been set up on the second floor of the lyceum. There is furniture and display cabinets where partners can showcase their products or promotional materials, even if they cannot attend the event in person. This means that schoolchildren will still be able to learn about the activities of these companies.

‘This interaction enables children to communicate directly with company representatives, thereby gaining a better understanding of the opportunities offered by a particular profession. We refer to these companies as “business residents” of the hub. They are happy to cooperate because they are genuinely interested in children staying in their communities and finding work locally, rather than seeking opportunities abroad,’ emphasises Valentyna Poltorak.

The Chernihiv Professional Lyceum of Railway Transport has already established more than ten such partnerships. One of these is Ukrzaliznytsia, with whom the institution is collaborating to develop a training simulator to help students learn the fundamentals of train control. Another partner is Kernel, an agricultural company that exports grain by rail and is therefore interested in cooperating with the lyceum.

‘This is a big step forward for us because, a few years ago, no one trusted us. We used to go to companies, wait for hours in reception rooms, and ask for meetings. When I attended school parent-teacher conferences and talked about the lyceum, children and parents were cautious. They said that I was only interested in attracting as many students as possible. At that time, nobody believed that our underage students earned UAH 30,000 per month during their internship assembling solar power stations. I felt like a car salesman – I could describe what it looks like, but the owner could demonstrate it better. That is why, today, we want employers to tell such stories themselves. The perception will then be completely different. Nowadays, businesses come to us themselves – this is the right approach, and we are expanding our cooperation with them in every way possible. Without the participation of employers, we will not be able to train competent specialists,’ concludes Maksym Podzharyi.

Separately, Maksym Podzharyi mentions Solar, a company that installed a 120 kW solar power plant on the grounds of the lyceum with the support of French donors. This solution reduces the community’s maintenance costs for the facility and allows the station to be used as a training ground for electricians. Teachers participate in its maintenance, thereby improving their qualifications.

‘Children are thrilled to interact with employers because it gives them a glimpse into the adult world, which would otherwise be closed to them. Some children say their fathers work at the plant and they wanted to come to the checkpoint to see what was behind it, who worked there and what they did. Employers are lifting this veil,’ says Maksym Podzharyi.

Two of the most active partners are ALTEP and PET Technologies, whose representatives regularly visit the vocational school and communicate with students. They study their target audience – future employees – and break down stereotypes by making eco-bags and other products for them and talking about modern technologies, doing everything they can to get children interested. Maksym periodically meets with employers to discuss how this approach can be changed, what needs to be improved and what is missing.

Discussions are currently underway with a new business resident. This developer builds monolithic, multi-storey buildings. They require concrete moulding professionals. They are therefore working together to figure out how to create a location where wire and ice cream sticks, for example, could be used to mix the solution and set the concrete. Meanwhile, inactive business residents will be reminded that they need to contribute to vocational training, as it is impossible to do this alone.

‘Our goal is not to sign memoranda with a large number of companies and cover the entire wall with logos. We want this to be effective. We need their support. It is not even about money, but about the time they have to devote to children,’ says Maksym.

The purpose of this all

The Ukrainian economy is in dire need of skilled workers. According to the European Business Association, most companies in the country are already experiencing a shortage of qualified staff.

‘Staff shortages in Ukraine currently amount to 400,000 people. Therefore, opening modernised vocational schools is a priority for our economy. The labour market requires specialists, and training qualified professionals is essential for the reconstruction and development of Ukraine. However, this process cannot be achieved without changing attitudes towards vocational education and updating the environment and content of training,’ said Olena Kovalska, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, during the opening of the hub.

One of the most effective ways to change this attitude is through career guidance. Globally, it is based on partnerships between the education sector, businesses, and the authorities. This is precisely the model that is currently being developed in Ukraine.

‘There have been many attempts in Ukraine to create a system of career counsellors or to establish cooperation between vocational schools and businesses. However, this is the first time the Government has taken a comprehensive approach, involving everyone in the process, including schools, local authorities, and businesses,’ says Valentyna Poltorak.

The relevance of this topic is also confirmed by the results of the Future Index from the Olena Zelenska Foundation. During this event, DECIDE Project experts shared their practical experience of working in communities. Currently, there are over a million teenagers aged 13–16 in Ukraine, eight out of ten of whom are thinking about their future. However, only a third can name a specific profession they would like to pursue. Where children regularly discuss the future, twice as many have conscious aspirations.

Another important trend concerns the choice of educational path. After Grade 9, only around a third of school leavers pursue further education at vocational schools or colleges, while the majority focus on universities. By comparison, between 65 and 75 per cent of teenagers in Switzerland choose vocational education each year.

‘Our main mission is to retain motivated applicants keen to study. We want children to make informed career choices, and we want to meet their demands and needs. In the future, we will consider career guidance to be successful if children, regardless of their level of knowledge, choose vocational education,’ concludes Maksym Podzharyi.

Ukraine is currently striving to increase the proportion of applicants to vocational education institutions to 45 per cent, while also helping young people to choose specialisms that are in demand in the labour market. This issue concerns not only education, but also the country’s economic future.

The DECIDE project is implemented by NGO DOCCU and PHZH International Projects in Education with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine.