On December 10, 2025, at the invitation of the Ukrainian Association of Light Industry “Ukrlegprom”, represented by its President and Chair of the Board, Tetiana Izovit, PhD in Economics, a working meeting on the training of industry personnel was held at the Kyiv Professional College of Applied Sciences. It became a platform for dialogue between educators and managers of domestic education, employers, and industry experts in the field of light industry.
Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design was represented at the event by Acting Rector Oleksandra Olshanska, Doctor of Economics; Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Fashion Natalia Ostapenko, Doctor of Technical Sciences; and Dean of the Faculty of Design Kalyna Pashkevych, Doctor of Technical Sciences.
The guests were warmly welcomed by the director of the Kyiv Professional College of Applied Sciences, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Hanna Shchutska. In a creative, professional, and collaborative atmosphere, she gave a tour of the educational institution, showing the well-equipped classrooms, auditoriums, laboratories, and workshops, which are equipped with visual aids and technical teaching aids and provide for the implementation of academic disciplines and practical training in accordance with the relevant educational and professional programs. Hanna Volodymyrivna spoke about the institution’s effective cooperation with industrial enterprises and the results of such interaction contributing to the modernization of the college’s material and technical base. She emphasized that attractive lecture halls contribute to the formation of a positive perception of the educational process among young people and motivate them to study.
The event was moderated by Tetiana Izovit, who introduced the participants and highlighted the key role of training personnel for the fashion industry and supporting women, who make up over 93% of the industry’s workforce. She also drew attention to the need for strategic recruitment of light industry workers to ensure stable production and preserve human capital. Tetiana Leonidivna expressed her confidence that cooperation between the government, business, and education will be the driving force behind the recovery and sustainable development of the Ukrainian light industry.
The participants discussed and shared their views on solving the problems of staffing in the domestic light industry and harmonizing joint actions between representatives of education and business to improve the quality of training for specialists in the industry, adapt training programs to the real needs of modern production, dual education and industrial practice, and ways to overcome the shortage of skilled workers in the industry.
In her speech, Hanna Shchutska spoke about the work of the veterans’ center, promoting and engaging the population in professional activities, flash mobs, and the love of the profession among students. She emphasized the experience of working with internally displaced persons from the occupied territories and initiatives aimed at supporting the families of military personnel. In particular, the college offers special educational courses for family members of military personnel who have lost their hearing, which not only helps them adapt but also motivates them to continue their studies at the college.
Oleksandra Olshanska noted that the University’s educational programs in “Light Industry Technologies” are relevant and competitive in the educational services market, and graduates of these programs are in demand by employers. She drew attention to the fact that during career guidance activities, informational and explanatory work is carried out with the aim of forming a realistic positive image of the future specialty and increasing motivation to enroll. The Acting Rector noted that, thanks to the work of the recently created Department of Marketing, specialties are being promoted through an active presence on social networks and other modern communication channels. It is in the partnership between education and business that one of the effective mechanisms for overcoming the personnel shortage is the dual education program. Oleksandra Volodymyrivna also emphasized the importance of such meetings, as it is precisely through lively dialogue with industry representatives that it is possible to respond flexibly to the needs of the labor market. Concluding her speech, she noted that effective interaction between business, educational institutions, and government agencies allows for the creation of modern educational products, provides students with access to technology, and allows companies to obtain trained specialists focused on practice and innovation.
Representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Department of Education and Science of Kyiv took an active part in the discussion, namely Iryna Shumik, Director General of the Directorate of Vocational Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine; Liudmyla Borysenko, Head of the Economy and Finance Department of the Department of Education and Science of the Executive Body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Administration); Serhiy Kovalenko, State Expert of the Expert Group on Management and Public-Private Partnership of the Directorate of Vocational Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The speakers focused on the development of initiatives for adult education, dual education and career guidance programs, career advisors, state promotional campaigns, the involvement of future applicants and their parents in enterprises, and tripartite communication with employers and educators, attractive names for educational programs and professions, student contracts, etc.
Stakeholders from the business community also took part in the discussion, including Dmytro Lapshyn, Deputy Director of the “Roza” factory; Liudmyla Ivanova, Director of “Dana-Moda” LLC; Oleksandr Bondar, Director of “Prime Shoes” LLC; Natalia Aminova, Head of Human Resources at “TK-Domashniy Tekstil” LLC, member of the Light Industry Education, Investment, and Technology Cluster; and Hanna Oharenko, founder and owner of “Oltex” LLC. During the discussion, the speakers emphasized that light industry is one of the priorities for the development of Ukraine’s economy in the context of war and post-war reconstruction. Currently, there is an acute shortage of qualified personnel in Ukraine’s light industry.
The college was represented at the event by Roman Yatskevych, Deputy Director for Communications and Social Development; Nadia Fadeieva, Head of Educational and Industrial Practice; Anna Sokol, Head of the Business Department; Oksana Sakhno, Head of the Technology Department; Head of the Design Department Natalia Prokopenko; Chair of the Fashion Business Technology Commission Oksana Zakora.
Such dialogue between vocational, higher education, and industry is a guarantee of their effective and harmonious cooperation, reasonable planning, and realistic assessment of current opportunities with a view to the future. Following the discussion of current issues in the industry, the parties reached a number of agreements. In particular, they agreed to consolidate efforts for more effective preparation for the 2026/2027 admission campaign, to amend the classification of industry professions, to create favorable conditions for the organization and conduct of industrial internships for students, etc.
The working meeting demonstrated the importance of dialogue and cooperation between government agencies, educational institutions, and employers. Joint efforts aimed at harmonizing the labor market and educational services are the key to training highly qualified personnel who can meet the modern challenges of light industry.
KNUTD continues to play a leading role in shaping the modern paradigm of engineering and technological education in Ukraine, bringing together the intellectual, industrial, and innovative potential of the country!
15.12.2025
