Young entrepreneurs to receive training essential to Ukraine’s future development

Entrepreneurship is one of the most critical levers for ensuring the development and growth of any country's economy. However, education in this area is lacking in the Ukrainian school system. Because of the war and ongoing reconstruction efforts, the country needs people with an entrepreneurial mindset who can create jobs and develop new cooperation models to join the public, private and civil sectors. 

Within the framework of the project "Integrating Entrepreneurship Education into Ukrainian Vocational Education", a seminar was held in Lviv last week, where Ukrainian entrepreneurs, representatives of vocational education institutions and local governments gathered to discuss the challenges of promoting entrepreneurship education in vocational education institutions and opportunities for creating new connections between educational institutions, businesses and communities. 

As a result of the project, the aim is to make entrepreneurship education an integral part of the education system in Ukraine to support the country's development and post-war reconstruction. To this end, materials for entrepreneurship education based on the Estonian entrepreneurship education competency model have been adapted to Ukrainian context. 

Training programmes have also increased teachers' professional skills and empowered school leaders to drive change in their schools. Furthermore, the curricula of two universities involved in the project (Ivan Franko University of Zhytomyr and Karazin University of Kharkiv) have been updated to ensure the preparation of vocational education teachers and the sustainability of entrepreneurship education within the vocational education system. 

”Estonia is honoured to support Ukraine in strengthening vocational and entrepreneurial education. This work creates real opportunities for young people in Ukraine to become skilled professionals and entrepreneurs who can drive innovation, create new jobs, and help rebuild the country,” said Toomas Tirs, ESTDEV’s country manager in Ukraine, at the seminar.  

According to Kristi Kulu, ESTDEV’s programme manager for Education, promoting entrepreneurship education is an investment in the future of Ukraine, as it will help provide younger generations with a more entrepreneurial and innovative mindset. 

"Every young person must have the opportunity to understand how an idea becomes an action and how implementation becomes an impact – whether it is in the labour market, in the community or in their own company. Ukraine needs people who can take the responsibility to learn and create solutions for their country. If education fosters an entrepreneurial attitude, it also supports the country's resilience, economic recovery and development. Therefore, ESTDEV is honoured to contribute to this journey together with Ukrainian partners," said Kulu. 

During the pilot phase of the entrepreneurship education project, in addition to vocational schools in the city of Zhytomyr, the focus will also be on vocational schools in other regions, including Lviv and Rivne, at the ministry's proposal. 

From 2016 to 2023, the entrepreneurship and career education programme Edu ja Tegu was implemented in Estonia. It aimed to develop and implement entrepreneurship and career education across all levels and types of education. Entrepreneurship education in Ukraine will be developed with this approach in mind.