Government Spotlight: Ukraine’s ReSkill UA Initiative

Overview & Challenges

Ukraine’s job market is stalling amidst significant socioeconomic and geopolitical challenges. The ongoing war has dramatically reshaped the country’s workforce, as an estimated 8 million skilled workers move abroad, resulting in a strained national infrastructure and economic instability. 

On top of this workforce shift, Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy predicts a shortfall of 4.5 million working-age individuals in the coming decade, a situation that’s already making it difficult for employers to find skilled talent. 

This talent shift not only affects the quantity of available workers but also creates a critical skills vacuum. The majority of workers who remain in the country lack the technical skills to compete in today’s job market, creating a pressing need for large-scale reskilling efforts. The State Employment Center reports a 21% shortage of skilled workers, highlighting a critical gap in specialized talent. 

Key challenges in Ukraine’s workforce include:

• Economic disruption: The war has disrupted traditional economic sectors, requiring the workforce to pivot toward more resilient and digitally oriented industries.

• Skills mismatch: With the sudden economic shift, there’s a growing divide between available skills and market demands, particularly in technical fields.

• Workforce displacement: The war has caused significant internal displacement and outward migration, leading to a loss of talent as many seek opportunities abroad.

• Mobilization: The ongoing war has pulled many working-age Ukrainians into military service, creating a sudden vacuum in the workforce.

• Rapid tech advancement: The rapid pace of technology changes requires continuous upskilling across sectors.

Adding to these challenges, the current job market shows an unusual balance between job vacancies and qualified applicants. There are now only fourteen resumes for every ten job vacancies, compared to twenty-four resumes per ten vacancies in January 2022. This downward shift indicates a shortage of workers and a misalignment of available skills with market needs, which could impact Ukraine’s ability to rebuild a stable and prosperous economy.

The Partnership

Recognizing the urgent need for workforce reskilling and upskilling, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine launched  ReSkill UA in collaboration with Coursera and Happy Monday, with support from the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine (USAID CEP). This initiative aims to improve Ukraine’s labor market by connecting newly skilled professionals with employers. 

The core of ReSkill UA is a focused approach that uses Coursera’s learning platform to offer custom learning tracks tailored to the current needs of Ukraine’s job market. This program stands out for its holistic approach to workforce development:

• Employer-driven curriculum: Happy Monday, a local NGO, works directly with Ukrainian companies to:

  • Identify skill gaps in the job market

  • Create custom learning tracks

  • Address role-specific requirements

• Comprehensive support for learners, including:

  • Access to custom learning tracks tailored for Ukraine’s job market needs, including courses from industry-leading companies like Google, IBM, and Meta.

  • Career guidance covering resume writing, interview skills, and job search strategies.

  • Direct connections to local employers committed to hiring program graduates.

• Multiple learning paths, including three types of programs to cater to different learning needs:

  • Retraining programs for those wanting to transition into new industries

  • Upskilling programs for professionals looking to advance into new roles within their current industry

  • Specialized tracks combining both reskilling and upskilling elements to maximize job creation and career advancement opportunities

• Local language support and maximized accessibility through:

  • Ukrainian subtitle for courses

  • Translated course materials

  • Localized learning resources

This approach means learners gain valuable skills and a direct pathway to employment. On the other side of the engagement, employer partners are able to work with Coursera to recruit qualified talent with proven skills, screen candidates more efficiently, and accelerate new hire onboarding. This direct connection between learning and employment opportunities is a cornerstone of the program’s success.

Specific courses and certifications support each skill area. Among the most popular with Ukrainian learners are:

• Project Management Job Search, Resume, and Interview Prep, IBM Skills Network Team

• Visualization for Statistical Analysis, Coursera Project Network

• Operations Excellence, Rutgers University

• Cybersecurity Management and Compliance, Microsoft

• Prompt Engineering Generative AI for Marketing & Advertising, Coursera Project Network

Impact 

Despite facing significant challenges, including severe electricity and internet disruptions, ReSkill UA has seen early success:

• Over 138,000 course and certification enrollments, highlighting the high demand for these skills.

• Learners have shown extraordinary dedication, with many completing courses despite infrastructure challenges, motivated by the direct link to employment opportunities.

The program has garnered support from influential Ukrainians, including a select group of ambassadors, with many sharing their learning journeys on social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn, further amplifying the initiative’s reach.

 With support from the USAID Competitive Economy Program, the ReSkill UA initiative is more than a skills training program—it's a vital step in rebuilding Ukraine’s workforce and strengthening the country’s economic resilience. By providing thousands of Ukrainians with access to cutting-edge learning opportunities, ReSkill UA empowers individuals to rebuild their lives and equips them to thrive in a rapidly evolving job market. This program not only helps citizens gain new skills but also lays a strong foundation for Ukraine’s long-term economic recovery, fostering a future where economic growth and stability go hand in hand.

—Olesya Zaluska, Chief of Party at the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine

Looking Ahead

As a result of this program, the workforce will become more resilient, skilled, and adaptable—a critical asset for a nation focused on recovery and growth.

The direct involvement of Ukrainian companies ensures that skills taught are immediately applicable, creating a win-win situation: businesses access much-needed talent while learners gain a clear path to employment. Perhaps most importantly, ReSkill UA is building a culture of continuous learning. While technological change is constant, the program helps learners more easily adapt and upskill.  

As the program continues, ReSkill UA is creating a new generation of digital-first professionals to fill the gaps. But the vision extends beyond just filling gaps in the workforce. The true measure of success will be the learners who’ve found new purpose and opportunity through resilience and a forward-thinking approach to development.

Upskill and reskill your citizen workforce

Prepare your citizen workforce for a digital economy with courses and Professional Certificates from leading universities and companies.

Learn more

About USAID CEP

The USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine (USAID CEP) supports Ukrainian businesses aiming to provide support for competitive industries and firms in Ukrainian and international markets, foster a better business-enabling environment, and enable Ukrainian companies to benefit from international trade.