Formal adult vocational training and continuous education

According to Ukrainian legislation, any educational institution with valid documents confirming licensed educational activities and accredited educational programmes in the relevant field may provide educational services to the adult population. Adults have a legally guaranteed right to obtain their first educational and professional qualifications (where applicable) at levels 2–8 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). This refers to accessing educational services in institutions of general secondary, vocational education and training (VET), professional pre-higher and higher education on equal terms with adolescents and young people.

In view of war-related legislative amendments, adults may also receive a second vocational qualification free of charge (Закон України ‘Про внесення змін до Закону України ‘Про професійну (професійно-технічну) освіту’ щодо окремих аспектів підготовки кваліфікованих робітників в умовах воєнного стану та відновлення економіки’).

In addition, many providers offer educational services specifically for adults. The main providers of adult education include:

• VET institutions: these institutions, in addition to providing young people with education and training in skilled professions, train adults to acquire full or partial professional qualifications at NQF Levels 2-5. Training is available to employees of enterprises, institutions and organisations, as well as unemployed/inactive individuals referred by regional or local employment centres or those holding training vouchers. The annual share of such adult training, across all forms (initial training, retraining and professional development), does not exceed 10% of the total number of students and applicants in VET institutions.

• Professional pre-higher education institutions: these institutions also provide training for adults, including employees of enterprises, institutions and organisations, unemployed/inactive individuals referred by regional or local employment centres, or training voucher holders. The focus is on professional qualifications or specialisations classified at NQF Level 5.

• Higher education institutions (HEIs): HEIs also may train adults, including employees of enterprises, institutions and organisations, as well as unemployed/inactive individuals referred by regional or local employment centres or training voucher holders. Training is conducted through postgraduate education and skills upgrading programmes, which may lead to the award of a new partial professional qualification.

• Certain HEIs and scientific institutions: these institutions offer training at the third (educational-scientific/educational-creative) level of higher education. These programmes often focus on attracting adults engaged in scientific, educational or innovative activities in the relevant professional or sectoral fields.

The Regulation on Vocational Training of Employees at the Workplace specifies that formal vocational training conducted at the workplace results in the issuance of educational certificates. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine determines the format of these documents, as outlined in the following Resolutions:

• ‘On Documents on General Secondary and Vocational Education of the State Standard and Their Annexes’ (Постанова Кабінету Міністрів України ‘Про документи про професійну (професійно-технічну) освіту державного зразка і додатки до них’);

• ‘On Documents on Higher Education (Academic Degrees) of the State Standard’ (Постанова Кабінету Міністрів України ‘Про документи про вищу освіту (науковий ступінь)’).

Article 6 of the Law on Professional Development of Employees states that employers organise vocational training for employees in line with their business needs and in compliance with legal requirements. Training may be conducted directly at the employer’s facilities or under contractual agreements with VET institutions, HEIs, enterprises or organisations.

Employers may arrange both formal and non-formal vocational training:

• Formal vocational training for skilled workers includes initial vocational training, retraining, and skills upgrading. This training can be conducted at the employer’s facilities or under contractual agreements with VET institutions, enterprises, or other organisations.

• For employees classified as managers, professionals or specialists, formal training may involve retraining, internships, specialisation, or skills upgrading. Such training is typically organised under contractual agreements with HEIs.

Upon completion of formal vocational training, employees receive state-standard educational certificates.

Non-formal adult education and further training  

Under Article 8 of the Law on Education, non-formal education is typically acquired through educational programmes. It does not lead to state-recognised educational qualifications by level of education but may result in the award of professional and/or partial educational qualifications.

The main providers of non-formal adult education and training include:

• A network of training centres: these include institutes, separate structural units, centres for the independent recognition of professional qualifications, etc. They operate based on departmental, sectoral or professional criteria and focus on upgrading employees' skills. These centres award partial qualifications (certificates) recognised at the national level. Examples of such providers include regional centres for the advanced training of civil servants, local government officials, and employees of state-owned enterprises, institutions and organisations.

• Vocational education and training centres linked to regional employment centres: eight such centres provide vocational training, retraining and advanced training for unemployed individuals, those not engaged in work, combatants and people with disabilities resulting from the war. As of 2024, they offer more than 70 full and 210 partial professional qualifications at NQF Levels 2–4.

• Training centres within enterprises, institutions and organisations: these centres, including plants, departments and other structural units have relevant licenses to provide training services and run accredited educational and professional programmes. They award full or partial professional qualifications recognised at the national level. Before the escalation of the war in Ukraine (24 February 2022), there were about 1 050 such centres operating annually. By type of economic activity, the largest shares were in metallurgy and machine building (38.3%), construction (20.2%), trade (20%), transport (25%) and the food industry (20%). 

• University of the Third Age (U3As). Over the past 15 years, Ukraine has established more than 200 U3As within territorial social service centres, non-governmental organisations (including international ones) and HEIs. These initiatives have been shaped by specific legislative measures (e.g. Закон України ‘Про соціальні послуги’; наказ Міністерства соціальної політики України ‘Про впровадження соціально-педагогічної послуги ‘Університет третього віку’’) and supported by approved methodological recommendations.