On July 23, 2024, a conference titled “Career Paths to Employment: Bridging the Skills Gap” was held in Kyiv, organized by Happy Monday and Coursera with support from USAID and the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine.

Our Executive Director Valentyna Khystova presented the “Furniture Maker School” project – a specialized training course for woodworking equipment operators and furniture designers. The project’s goal is to quickly retrain and recruit specialists for the furniture industry.

 

Initial project results:

• 731 applications for training;
• 2 completed cohorts with 312 students;
• The final cohort starts in August, expecting over 300 more participants 🎉

The project is actively scaling:

• Recording educational series for Diia.Education;
• Continuous recruitment of new employees;
• Partnerships with universities to create advanced training and retraining courses.

Valentyna emphasized the importance of proper marketing and uniting efforts within the professional community for successful project implementation.

 

❗️Special attention is given to creating an inclusive environment in the industry. Responding to questions about employing veterans and people with disabilities, Valentyna noted: “Our furniture makers are already working on adapting their businesses to create an inclusive environment”.

 

Association members are already implementing best global practices from the USA and Europe:

• Developing specialized training programs;
• Adapting workplaces;
• Providing psychological support for employees.

 

We thank USAID and our business partners for the support that allows us to respond promptly to industry challenges and develop the Ukrainian furniture industry!