A new state employment program for people aged 50+ is being launched in Ukraine. The government wants to help older workers return to the labor market and close the labor shortage in key sectors of the economy, particularly in construction and defense. This was announced by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
The program «Experience Matters» is starting in Ukraine
The new initiative is called «Experience Matters». It includes internships and employment assistance for Ukrainians over 50 years old.
The program will consist of three main stages:
- training and updating professional skills;
- meetings with employers;
- internship or employment.
Participants will be helped to adapt their resumes to modern labor market requirements and improve practical and digital skills.
Why does Ukraine focus on workers aged 50+
The program will be implemented in cooperation with the State Employment Center, businesses, and community partners.
During discussions on the labor market situation, the government consulted with Ella Libanova, the director of the M.V. Ptukh Institute of Demography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
According to the study «Labor Market After 50», employers positively assess the experience and reliability of older workers. At the same time:
- 65% of companies see a problem in digital skills;
- 60% acknowledge the influence of age stereotypes during hiring.
The government wants to reduce the labor shortage
The government claims that the shortage of workers has already become one of the main challenges for the Ukrainian economy. The shortage of staff is felt the most in construction and defense industries.
The new program aims to help older people return to work while also giving businesses more opportunities to find employees.
Since the start of the full-scale war, the Ukrainian labor market has faced a labor shortage due to mobilization and the emigration of part of the population abroad. Because of this, employers are increasingly actively seeking new sources of workers.
For people aged 50+, this means additional opportunities for training, internships, and returning to official work even after a long break.
Let us remind you that the Ukrainian government is starting a pilot project to modernize the services of Employment Centers based on the new system "Obriyi".