I often host events in Kyiv highlighting and promoting the growing number of young Ukrainians who are obtaining top quality academic degrees through studying in UK universities or through distance programmes, including MBAs which are delivered through UK-Ukrainian partnerships. But we recently hosted a British Council event designed to promote the equally important area of professional, technical and vocational skills and qualifications. These can both turbo-charge economic competitiveness for the country as a whole and boost the employability of individuals seeking the best possible job in today’s competitive employment market.
The British Council’s Skills for Employability Programme is designed to share UK experience with employers and business leaders, policy makers and educators in Ukraine and support Ukraine’s progress towards adoption of common European qualification standards. At the residence we enjoyed a terrific turnout of people from the Presidential Administration, the Cabinet of Ministers, the National Employment Centre, the Confederation of Employers, the Ukrainian Trade Union Federation, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy, the Ministry of Education and Science, the National Employment Centre and many others (apologies to anyone I’ve left out). There was a fascinating series of presentations and a real buzz of enthusiasm about the principle of lifelong learning and how best to build a qualified and prosperous Ukraine. The British Council is closely engaged in helping Ukraine develop a national qualifications framework. I hope this can bring concrete results as Ukraine moves to maximise its competitiveness and pursue its integration into the European Union.