Ukrainian Women Train for Blue-Collar Jobs As Workforce Gaps Grow

Kuzmina is one of many women joining the essential service as the war with Russia progresses.

Between January and May, the number of employed women rose from about 45,000 to nearly 48,000, and these figures are likely to rise sharply. The number of women in vocational training, like Kuzmina, grew 75 percent in the same period, to about 17,000, the research institute reported. State website.

Due to a shortage of workers in areas such as driving, mechanical engineering and road construction, the Ukrainian government The program was launched A scheme that provides women with training vouchers, enabling them to receive free training in their chosen profession from educational institutions or directly from their employers. But Ukrainian women have to contend with employers and families who aren’t always supportive of women taking on traditionally male jobs.

Served in the Army

Kuzmina is used to tough work. She served in the Ukrainian army for two years. After studying accounting and bookkeeping, she joined the army as a clerk in 2020. She then became a grenade launcher in the 46th Separate Assault Battalion, also known as the Donbas Battalion.

But shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Kuzmina’s commander disbanded the unit, citing a lack of resources.

“We had nothing, we had no ammunition, we had nothing to protect ourselves with,” she said, adding that her unit commander “told the battalion commander, ‘I’m not going to let my guys fall into the crossfire.'”

She also had personal obligations: Intense military operations in her hometown of Trestsk meant her sick father could not receive treatment there, so she moved him to another town and left the army herself to focus on caring for him.

In May, she wanted another way to actively support the Ukrainian war effort and decided to join a local substation.

“Working on the power grid is important to me because this vital infrastructure is under constant bombardment right now,” she said of Russian attacks on power facilities. “The enemy is attacking us from all sides. They are trying to manipulate us.”

Attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities are part of Russian operations The purpose of the blackout was to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky I said last month Russia has damaged or destroyed more than half of Ukraine’s electricity generation.

So far 11 missile and drone attacks Power plants and gas stations in 2024 alone, From Reuters. Local residents are concerned about how the infrastructure will hold up during colder months when energy is needed for heating.

Ukraine, likewise, Targeting Russian refineries Oil Terminal The Kremlin Military power.

Employment gap

The conflict is now in its third year, creating a major labor shortage.

Tens of thousands of people volunteered for the military 650,000 people Eurostat estimates that some people have left the country to avoid conscription. Approximately 6.3 million people, mostly women and children, have fled Ukraine as refugees, and 3.7 million are internally displaced. According to the United NationsThere is a huge gap in the young and skilled workforce.

“It’s fair to say that both blue-collar and white-collar jobs are affected,” said Yana Lukashuk, head of recruitment at Kiev-based job placement agency Lobby X. “Men who have joined the military and women, with or without children, who have fled the country from all sectors are creating a huge gap in the market.”

Kuzmina is one of two female employees at her power plant, but she is also one of several women who have stepped up to take vacant blue-collar jobs that were primarily filled by men.

“In some regions where there is a shortage of men, there is nothing else for women to do but fill many key vacancies, so we are seeing more female candidates becoming factory workers, engineers, drivers and so on,” Lukaszuk told BI.

The influence of Soviet-era laws

One expert told BI that this trend is particularly noteworthy given that Soviet laws prohibited women from working in around 450 professions.

Ukraine repealed the law in 2017, but its effects are still felt in society, says Olga Kupets, a professor of labor economics. Kyiv School of Economics.

Kupets said there was still legal debate about whether the restrictions would remain, and some coaches and instructors in the vocational education system weren’t ready to train women. Even if those two issues could be overcome, Kupets said there would be strong societal backlash.

“On the one hand, there is a talent shortage, a shortage of men, and the government has formally signalled its intention to help women work in traditionally male-dominated fields,” she said of a government training programme introduced this year, “but at a very low level, we are seeing a lot of opposition and resistance from employers.”

In some cases, companies have opened jobs to everyone, but bosses have prevented women from applying, Kupetz said.

“This discrimination in the labor market comes not only from men, but also from women, such as mothers and stepmothers,” Kupets said.

Still, Kuzmina, the electrician, said she sees women working around her and on social media.

“I was in the army and I realized I was no longer of any use there,” Kuzmina said, “But I want to help our country, our Ukraine. I can’t just sit back and wait.”

If you’re from Ukraine and have a story about the war and how it affected your career, get in touch with us at shubhangigoel@insider.com.