Ukrainian veterans can help overcome the labor shortage, but their return to civilian working life requires the development of professional retraining, the adaptation of workplaces, and the practical implementation of state support programs. MP Anatoliy Ostapenko, head of the Subcommittee on Social Protection of Veterans’ Rights of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy, said this in an exclusive comment to UNN.
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Earlier, Tetiana Karelska, head of the HR and CSR direction at the European Business Association, said in a comment to UNN that Ukrainian companies are gradually developing practices for employing and reintegrating veterans. Businesses are training teams to interact with colleagues who have combat experience, creating adaptation and retraining programs, and some companies are introducing dedicated positions to support veterans. At the same time, it is still too early to talk about mass employment because of the dynamics of the military operations.
Preparing employers is only one component of veterans’ return to working life. State support mechanisms and professional retraining for defenders are also necessary. MP Anatoliy Ostapenko also emphasizes this.
Veterans can help solve the labor shortage problem, because many of them were already working before mobilization and had professions, experience, and qualifications. Our task is to help them return to civilian life and, where necessary, adapt their existing skills to new conditions
According to him, many veterans already had professions, experience, and qualifications before mobilization that may be in demand on the labor market. At the same time, some defenders return from the war with disabilities, which requires working conditions to be adapted to their abilities.
That is why professional retraining for veterans is extremely important. We must help people master civilian professions, acquire new competencies, and find work in accordance with their abilities and the needs of the market. This will not only support veterans but also partially meet the staffing needs of Ukrainian businesses
In his opinion, amid a significant labor shortage, employers effectively have no choice but to more actively involve people returning from military service in the workforce.
At the same time, this process requires a systematic approach: it is not enough simply to offer a veteran a vacancy - it is necessary to create conditions in which they can work effectively
Among such mechanisms, the MP mentioned compensation for the costs of equipping workplaces for people with disabilities, as well as opportunities for professional retraining and obtaining additional education. According to him, the key task remains the practical application of these tools and informing employers about the opportunities available.
It is necessary to ensure their practical application, inform employers about available programs, and help veterans take advantage of these opportunities. Only in this way will we be able to build a system in which a veteran has the opportunity to realize themselves in civilian life, while businesses can attract qualified workers
We remind you
The Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine is also working to support veterans. According to Serhii Byzov, chairman of the FPU, the Federation’s sanatoriums provide medical rehabilitation services to military personnel, while the organization itself, together with relevant ministries and the National Health Service of Ukraine, is developing programs to support, socially adapt, and employ veterans. According to the FPU, more than 32,800 military personnel have undergone medical rehabilitation at its sanatoriums.