The recovery of Ukraine is not just about large-scale construction and infrastructure renewal. First and foremost, it is an investment in specialists and future employees.
In today’s reality, as the country recovers, it is crucial to develop a strategic vision of the professions that will be in high demand in the future. The future of Ukraine is in the hands of its schoolchildren, so it is vital to understand the type of specialists that business and society will require in the coming years.
On 28 May 2025, a closed offline meeting was organised in Kyiv by the European Business Association in cooperation with the Kateryna Osadcha Foundation. The event brought together HR managers, HRBPs and CEOs of leading companies to discuss the key investment in business — resources and potential of employees.
Andrii Pylypchuk, labour market analysis specialist at BDO in Ukraine, was among the participants and shared his impressions of the meeting.
“Taking part in the meeting organised by the EBA and the Kateryna Osadcha Foundation was very useful. We discussed the importance of cooperation between businesses, educational institutions and the public sector, ways to engage young people, and the different views of parents and children on career guidance. Particular attention was paid to the role of businesses in attracting, motivating, and developing the soft skills of future professionals. Our team is committed to supporting this area by providing young people with practical development opportunities in audit, valuation, business analysis and automation. We offer market-based remuneration and mentoring support. Auditor and accountant roles have always been in demand and we are confident that this will continue. Knowledge in these areas is the path to stability and development. The history of our company is a living example of this,” said Andrii.
During the meeting, Kateryna Osadcha shared her career path and stressed the importance of making a conscious career choice for young people. She presented the Foundation’s activities and career guidance initiatives, which are aimed at supporting teenagers in determining their professional path.
A comprehensive study was also presented, including a survey of businesses to identify current and future occupational needs, as well as a survey of young people to ascertain their expectations and motivations. It is important to note that Ukraine is currently facing a demographic crisis: prior to the war, there were 10 million young people (aged 15–35), but now only 58% remain in their pre-war locations, 23% have gone abroad, 17% are internally displaced, and 2% serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 17.5% of young people are NEET, which is significantly higher than in Poland (10.4%).
Concurrent research by prominent global and national organisations (WEF, UNICEF, ILO, OECD, etc.) has identified challenges, including a paucity of labour market forecasts for the next 3-5 years, a dearth of platforms for translating analytics into action, inadequate integration between business, education and communities, and data that is not adapted for teenagers and educators.
This emphasises the importance of collaborative efforts by businesses, educational institutions and community initiatives in developing effective human resources strategies and creating opportunities for young people.
Particular attention was paid to the pilot business-government project “Educational League” — an initiative aimed at creating new opportunities for the education of young people aged 14 and over and supporting them in their future employment.
To conclude, it is clear that effective human resources strategies for Ukraine’s sustainable development must be based on cooperation between business, educational initiatives and NGOs. This presents a valuable opportunity for young people to develop their careers and make a significant contribution to the country’s recovery and future prosperity.
BDO in Ukraine is committed to supporting such initiatives and is eager to contribute to the country’s recovery process. We warmly welcome graduates and young professionals who choose us to start and develop their careers. We invite young people to join our team to create the future of Ukraine together. Please refer to the list of current vacancies and submit your CV to cvteam@bdo.ua
