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Roadmap for Skilled Workforce Provision in Ukraine’s Construction Sector 2026–2030 presented

06.08.2026 Press and information team of the Delegation to UKRAINE

On 5 August, the Roadmap for Skilled Workforce Provision in Ukraine’s Construction Sector 2026–2030 was presented during an official event organised by the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine to mark Construction Workers’ Day. The document proposes a comprehensive set of practical solutions to address the shortage of skilled workers and establish a sustainable training system aligned with the sector’s needs.

The construction sector is one of the key drivers of Ukraine’s economic recovery. The reconstruction of housing, social facilities, transport and engineering infrastructure will continue to increase demand for skilled workers. At the same time, the sector is already experiencing an acute workforce shortage: according to available estimates, only around half of the required number of skilled workers is currently available.

The impact of construction extends beyond direct employment and added value. The sector also generates demand in related industries, including the production of construction materials, machinery and equipment, transport, engineering and professional services. The workforce capacity of the construction sector will therefore directly influence the pace and sustainability of Ukraine’s economic recovery.

The challenge is not simply to train more people. Ukraine needs a sustainable system that regularly adapts training to the sector’s actual needs. Employers report that many existing training programmes do not sufficiently reflect modern technologies, materials, equipment and work organisation. As a result, graduates and new employees often require additional practical training directly at enterprises.

‘The construction sector is vital to Ukraine’s recovery — from rebuilding housing and critical infrastructure to creating jobs and supporting related industries. Germany is already supporting Ukraine on this path, including through partnerships between German and Ukrainian companies and initiatives aimed at developing a skilled workforce. The Roadmap provides a basis for systematic cooperation between government, businesses, education and training providers, and international partners. Its implementation can not only strengthen the workforce capacity of the construction sector, but also open up new opportunities for German-Ukrainian economic cooperation,’ said Jens Busma, Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine.

‘The shortage of skilled workers in the construction sector is one of the key challenges affecting Ukraine’s recovery. At the same time, it is a strategic issue that extends well beyond the immediate reconstruction effort. As Ukraine advances on its path towards European Union accession, continued alignment of vocational education and training, qualifications, and skills recognition with EU standards and practices will become increasingly important. This includes strengthening systems for the recognition of qualifications and supporting labour mobility within the European labour market. The Roadmap represents an important step in this process, and the European Union remains committed to supporting Ukraine in building a modern, resilient, and future-oriented skills system,’ said Henrik Huitfeldt, Head of Section for Public Finance, Business Support, and Social Policies at the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

How the Roadmap was developed

The Roadmap was prepared under the Bridging Skills for Construction project, implemented with financial support from the European Union, Germany, Poland, Estonia and Denmark as part of the Multi Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery. The initiative is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL). The Confederation of Builders of Ukraine is the project’s main implementation partner.

The document was developed by Olha Sydorchuk, Head of the Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee of the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine and Partner at the law firm Altelaw&Sempra, and Ivan Fedorin, Construction Adviser at Altelaw&Sempra. Analytical support was provided by Tetiana Sytnyk, Head of B2B and Strategic Research at CBR.

The Roadmap was informed by the above-mentioned sectoral study of the shortage of skilled workers in construction. The research included a survey of a representative sample of 200 construction companies and 20 in-depth interviews with representatives of businesses, construction-material manufacturers, sectoral associations, trade unions, vocational education institutions and public authorities. The findings and the draft Roadmap were discussed with the participation of the Ministry of Economy and Environment, the State Employment Service, the Ministry of Education and Science and the National Qualifications Agency.

The study helped identify the causes of the gap between workforce training and employers’ needs, promising models of cooperation between businesses and education providers, and the occupations and competencies that should be prioritised during the pilot phase.

From analysing challenges to practical solutions

The Roadmap translates workforce challenges into a coordinated set of practical, demand-driven actions for government, the construction industry, education and training providers, qualification centres and development partners.

Its key proposed areas of action include:

  • modernising training vouchers and establishing a transparent government-business co-financing mechanism for a regularly updated list of priority occupations based on labour-market demand in construction; 
  • adapting training to project-based work, subcontracting, self-employment, mobile teams and other common forms of employment in the sector; 
  • introducing financial and other incentives for employers that invest in workforce training, practical learning, workplace mentoring and the employment of trained workers; 
  • establishing a representative Sectoral Skills Council to coordinate skills forecasting, occupational priorities, training provision and employer engagement; 
  • developing a digital professional ID card for construction workers to record verified qualifications, occupational safety certificates and work experience, taking European approaches into account; 
  • using infrastructure projects financed by development banks and international partners as platforms for training, practical learning and work experience for people entering the construction sector; 
  • strengthening the sector’s capacity to train, assess and certify workers through the development and updating of occupational standards, qualification centres and employer-led assessment mechanisms. 

Particular attention is given to short-term and modular programmes, training directly at enterprises, paid work placements, mentor training, and the recognition of prior learning and practical experience. These formats should help veterans, internally displaced people, women, self-employed workers and others enter or return to construction occupations more quickly.

The Roadmap covers the period to 2030 and envisages a phased transition from developing solutions and piloting new models to their institutionalisation, scaling and sustainable financing. Its implementation will require joint decisions and resources from government, the construction sector, education and training providers and development partners. The next steps are to agree priorities, determine responsible parties and resources, and begin the phased implementation of the proposed solutions.