The second Career Festival at the Expocentre of Ukraine became just that, with the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE Project as its official partner this year.

During four days, the Festival brought together schoolchildren and students, parents, educators, veterans, employers, HR specialists, and all those who are looking for new professional opportunities and seeking career growth.

The Career Café, organised by DECIDE Project, was one of the most notable novelties of the second Career Festival.

During the four days of the event, more than 3,000 people visited the venue. Of these, 1,344 participants joined individual and group career consultations, meetings with business representatives, workshops, masterclasses, career guidance games, and other events. More than 2,000 participants attended the career guidance quest at our venue.

During 21–24 May, 30 events in different formats were held. In particular:

• 13 open-mic sessions with representatives from business, the community, and educational institutions;
• 5 expert discussions / panel discussions;
• 4 career guidance sessions and practical workshops;
• 3 masterclasses;
• 2 game zones;
• 1 intensive session for parents;
• 1 mini-training session;
• 1 insight session with a career counsellor.

Representatives from communities, educational institutions, HR specialists, career coordinators and counsellors, as well as representatives from leading Ukrainian and international companies and employers, took part in the events, including: Ukrzaliznytsia, NOVUS, the “Podorozhnyk” pharmacy chain, Modern Expo, Winner Group Ukraine, OKKO, REHAU Water Technologies Ukraine, KFC, Monobank, Health24, TK-Domashnii Tekstyl and others.

DECIDE Career Café has become a space for support and professional self-determination for children and teenagers. Career counsellors worked there every day, helping participants complete career guidance tests, better understand their own interests and abilities, and decide on their future educational and professional paths.

For DECIDE, career guidance is not just about professions. It is about helping students understand themselves, recognise their own potential, and gain support from the community, education sector, and business on their path to a future career.

On the first day, the focus was on choosing a future career, taking the first steps in a career, and supporting teenagers in their career decision-making. During the day, panel discussions, career guidance games, workshops, and open discussions were held with the participation of representatives from the education sector, the business world, and career counsellors.

Representatives from leading companies talked about their experiences and shared practical case studies. Tetiana Smolianko, Head of Career Planning at Ukrzaliznytsia, spoke about internships as a first step towards professional opportunities. Meanwhile, Inna Sherhei, Head of the Department for Work with Higher Education Institutions, shared her experience of building a career with “Podorozhnyk START”, whilst Ivanna Ostapchuk, Expert in Employer Branding at Modern Expo, focused on career opportunities for young people.

Much attention was paid to practical tools and working with parents. Career coordinators and counsellors Nataliia Burdiuh, Olha Shvydun, and Olha Shushunova conducted a workshop “Choosing a future career: how to understand yourself and take the first step”, in which they explained how to help a child choose their own path. Moreover, career counsellor Olena Tereshchenko conducted an engaging career guidance game session “Professional Intuition”.

The question of conscious career choice was examined in more detail during the panel discussion. Nataliia Burdiuh, Bohdan Ivanus, Nataliia Malets, and Maksym Solonenko sought answers together to the question of what exactly helps children decide on their future and confidently plan their career path.

On the second day, the focus was on career opportunities for people with different backgrounds and life circumstances. Together with representatives from business, the public sector, career counsellors, and educators, participants discussed accessibility and inclusion in career guidance, support for those affected by the war, as well as professional development opportunities for young people and adults.

During the day, DECIDE venue was hosting panel discussions, workshops, interactive activities, and open-mic sessions. Attendees paid special attention to game-based approaches to career guidance and career opportunities for children and teenagers who are currently studying online.

Career counsellors and educators actively participated in these useful activities. Iryna Didus, School Principal, Olha Mishchuk, Maryna Hniziuk, Olha Shvydun, and Tetiana Cherepnia shared their experience. Halyna Kornieieva and Tetiana Kostenko, representatives of Trinity HUB, also presented important insights and case studies from the public sector.

Business leaders shared their perspective on the current labour market. Andrii Sorokin from Winner Group Ukraine, Olesia Yakoplich from the OKKO chain, and Maksym Solonenko from REHAU Water Technologies Ukraine joined the discussion on career prospects.

The final day was entirely devoted to practical tools for finding a job. Participants learnt how to prepare for a job interview, write a good CV, what skills employers are currently looking for, and how to turn a dream into a real career plan. The programme was full of masterclasses run by HR specialists, analyses of CVs, panel discussions, and career guidance activities for young people.

Liudmyla Chernenko, HR Manager at Tasty Food LLC (KFC restaurants), described the career opportunities in the restaurant industry. Besides, Liudmyla, together with Nataliia Aminova, HR at TK-Domashnii Tekstyl, and Olha Shushunova, a psychologist and career counsellor at Chernihiv Lyceum No. 1, joined an important discussion on “How to ace the interview for a dream job?”

Considerable attention was focused on practical work with documents. In particular, the representatives of Monobank, Yuliia Kvitka and Alina Yaroshenko, conducted a useful workshop on how to write a good CV. Meanwhile, Tetiana Melnychenko, Head of HR at HEALTH 24, shared some useful tips during a mini-workshop on “How to prepare for a job interview”.

This year, 302 participants joined the Career Festival: Ukrainian and international companies, educational organisations, charitable initiatives, and government institutions.

Visitors to the festival explored interactive booths of companies, learnt about different professions, and literally “tried out” different career paths for themselves.

We are grateful to all our partners, participants, experts, employers, and guests who helped create this space of opportunities together with us.

See you at the next Career Festival at the Expocentre of Ukraine in 2027!

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