Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - Ukraine (Ratification: 1979)

Articles 1 and 5 of the Convention. Implementation of vocational education and training policies and programmes. The Government reports that amendments to the Conceptual Framework of the State Vocational Guidance System (the Framework) were introduced by Cabinet of Ministers Decree No. 561 of 9 September 2017, with the aim of ensuring that the vocational guidance system is able to respond effectively to challenges in the labour market and assist young persons in entering the world of work. The amendments specify, inter alia, new areas for the State Vocational Guidance System to develop technology, including modern information communications technology, and to provide public access to vocational guidance. The Committee takes note of the Ukraine country report of the European Training Foundation, October 2018 (ETF report), which indicates that the labour market faces multiple challenges, including different types of skills mismatch, particularly high levels of over-qualification, and that the Ukrainian Vocational Education and Training (VET) system, which consists of a large number of VET institutions of varying organizational types and statuses, requires urgent attention. The ETF report suggests that the solution should focus on adopting a good performance management system, improving cooperation with employers and adopting a demand-driven approach. The Committee notes that, according to the ETF report, following extensive consultations with different stakeholders, the Modern Vocational Education: Reform Concept for Vocational Education in Ukraine was adopted in May 2018. It determines the objectives, means of development, key components of the modern vocational education system, and key measures, inter alia, decentralizing the governance and autonomy of VET institutions to enable local reforms, guaranteeing the quality of vocational education, creating an effective network to enable lifelong learning and establishing a modern educational environment that enables accessibility, inclusiveness and gender-responsiveness. The Government indicates that, in 2018, the Ministry of Social Policy began drafting an action plan for the implementation of the Framework for the State Vocational Guidance System through 2023. The Committee notes that the Arrangements for the Vocational Training, Retraining and Skills Development of Persons Registered as Unemployed (Order No. 1482/1277 of 15 September 2017) have been amended, introducing new forms of vocational training for the registered unemployed. Amendments were also introduced in 2015 to expand the categories of persons entitled to receive training vouches to support their employability. The Government indicates that the State Employment Service (SES) offers a range of vocational guidance and training services, including vocational information, vocational advice and training. In addition, the Government is developing a system for validating informal vocational training with a view to enhancing employability. The Committee notes that, according to the ETF Report, the process of establishing independent centres to recognize non-formal vocational learning outcomes and ensure the objective assessment of the quality of VET graduates’ education has been under way since March 2016. Furthermore, the Government indicates that unemployment centres implement targeted measures to promote the employment of women, people with lower skills, young people, persons with disabilities, participants in anti-terrorist operations, internally displaced people and pupils from general education schools. In 2017, three million people benefited from vocational guidance services, 1.1 million of whom were registered unemployed and included: 564,000 women; 410,000 young people below the age of 35; 397,000 unemployed persons covered by additional guarantees in terms of employment, of whom 41,000 were living with disabilities, 42,000 were participants in anti-terrorist operations, and 14,000 were internally displaced. The Government indicates that the current legal framework provides for the involvement of the social partners, civil society and charitable organizations in delivering vocational guidance. The SES also promotes the employment of unemployed persons by organizing vocational training, retraining and skills development training, particularly in vocational, technical and higher educational institutions. It provides training vouchers to support employability through retraining, training in specialist skills and developing skills required by priority economic sectors. In 2017, 163,000 unemployed persons benefited from training, of whom 76,000 were women; 53,000 were young persons under 35; and 55,000 were persons covered by additional guarantees in terms of employment. The latter figure included 4,000 persons with disabilities; more than 3,000 participants in anti-terrorist operations and 2,000 internally displaced persons. The Committee refers to its 2019 observation on the application of the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), in which it requests the Government to provide information concerning initiatives taken in collaboration with the social partners to facilitate skills training, as well as detailed information on the impact of such initiatives in ensuring training which corresponds to current and future labour market needs and assisting unemployed persons to enter and remain in the labour market. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the implementation and outcomes of the policies and programmes of vocational guidance and vocational training, including with respect to improving cooperation with employers and adopting a demand-driven approach. It also requests the Government to provide a copy of the action plan to implement the Conceptual Framework for the State Vocational Guidance System for the period until 2023, once it is adopted and to provide updated information concerning the development and implementation of a system for validating informal vocational training. Furthermore, the Committee requests the Government to provide specific information on measures taken to promote the cooperation and engagement of employers’ and workers’ organizations and other interested bodies in the formulation and implementation of vocational guidance and vocational training policies and programmes. The Government is also requested to communicate extracts from reports, studies and inquiries and statistical data relating to the application in practice of the provisions of the Convention (Part VI of the report form).