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According to the State Employment Service, almost 40% of veterans do not return and do not plan to return to their previous jobs after service. Many job seekers — including veterans, people with disabilities, internally displaced persons, and individuals aged 50 and older — face barriers when searching for a new profession or employer.
With this in mind, we discussed ways to make employment accessible to all at the Partnership for Inclusive Employment Forum — a joint event of East Europe Foundation and the State Employment Service, held with the support of the Multi Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery.
The forum within the “Inclusive Employment” project brought together more than 120 participants — representatives of 18 employment centers, businesses, state institutions, and international organizations from across Ukraine.
“Inclusion is sustainability and a human resources strategy. First of all, an inclusive labor market means equal opportunities, where knowledge, skills, and competencies matter. The research we conducted with employers has shown that 90% of businesses are ready to hire veterans and people with disabilities. The role of the State Employment Service is to connect individuals seeking work with employers willing to provide job opportunities,” stated Yulia Zhovtiak, Director of the State Employment Center, during her welcoming speech.
Representatives of the State Employment Center, international donor organizations, the government, and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, as well as field‑specific experts in inclusive employment and recruitment, participated in the discussion panels. The forum participants reviewed already implemented solutions, success stories of employment, and support provided by SES — namely career guidance, vocational training, and grant programs to start or develop their own businesses.
“Inclusive employment is no longer a matter of the European standard we strive to comply with. It is a matter of our country’s survival. Everyone needs an active labor force: state institutions, the Armed Forces, and employers. Therefore, our common task is to integrate as many veterans, women, internally displaced people, and individuals aged 50 and older into the Ukrainian labor market as possible. Our future depends on this. I am happy that the joint decisions and achievements of the Foundation and the Employment Service contribute to this process,” shared Olha Voitovych, PMP®, leading manager of the Civil Society Development and Support Cluster, manager of the Inclusive Employment Project.
During the forum, experts also outlined principles that help make employment truly barrier‑free:
The second day of the forum was dedicated to practice. Participants explored ways to enhance cooperation between employment centers and employers. They also visited the Epicenter K enterprise and learned how big businesses implement inclusive employment principles.
The forum was supported by a broader information campaign to inform veterans, women, internally displaced persons, people aged 50 and older, and other job seekers about the opportunities provided by the State Employment Service.
Within the “Inclusive Employment” project, East Europe Foundation and the State Employment Service collaborated to create three videos and three posters for social advertising. The emphasis was on real stories of individuals whose lives were transformed by the support of the employment service. The videos were marked as social advertising and broadcast during the telemarathon, on Ukrzaliznytsia trains, on video boards, at railway stations, in ASCs, and on regional TV channels. In August, the campaign will also be held in the Kyiv Metro.
Moreover, the project implementation made it possible to present methodological guidelines on the coaching approach, a checklist for organizing inclusive job fairs, the “Contemporary Recruitment” manual, and a related course.
