On 25 February 2026, a roundtable “Roadmap for Activation and Reintegration of Vulnerable Groups in Labour Market” took place in Kyiv. The event brought together representatives of government institutions, businesses, education providers and civil society organisations to discuss how to improve support for vulnerable groups in the labour market, strengthen vocational training and career guidance, and develop recommendations for a future roadmap. The event was organised within the Multi Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery.
More than 50 participants joined the discussion, including representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the State Employment Service, employers and education institutions. Particular attention focused on support for veterans, internally displaced persons, people with disabilities, older workers and women.
“The link between the labour market and the education system in supporting vulnerable groups remains relevant and complex. Development of a roadmap will allow this work to be carried out in a more systematic way,” said Iryna Shumik, Director General of the Directorate of Vocational Education at the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
During three panel discussions, participants examined key barriers limiting access to employment for different social groups. These include mismatches between education and labour-market needs, limited access to job opportunities, and insufficient coordination among employers, education providers, and public institutions.
The results of the roundtable will form the basis for preparing the Roadmap for Activation and Reintegration of Vulnerable Groups in the Labour Market within Skills4Recovery. The document will be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine. Representatives of participating ministries confirmed their readiness to consider the proposed recommendations when shaping strategic decisions in the field of employment and skills development.
Background
According to the Ministry of Education and Science, only 30% of the 137 professional pre-tertiary education institutions currently have the conditions to educate learners with special educational needs.
According to the State Employment Service, nearly 640,000 people applied in 2025, of whom 49% were employed. At the same time, employment rates among vulnerable groups remain significantly lower: only one in five veterans and one in four people with disabilities find jobs.
The project “Roadmap for Activation and Reintegration of Vulnerable Groups in Labour Market” is implemented by the Ukrainian Marketing Association with financial support from the European Union, Germany, Poland, Estonia and Denmark within the Multi Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL).
