Eight out of ten Ukrainian teenagers think about their future profession, but only three out of ten can name a specific field of employment, or even an approximate one. This is the main conclusion of the national study, ‘Index of the Future: Professional Expectations and Development of Teenagers in Ukraine’.

Their choice is often based not on real experience, but on stereotypes, the advice of loved ones, or even chance.

That is why, as part of the DECIDE Project’s career guidance initiative for children and teenagers, our team has created 10 career guidance hubs in collaboration with vocational schools, regional and local authorities, and businesses. These modern spaces allow students to learn about and try out different professions, from assembling a solar power plant to working with a 3D printer.

‘We see that businesses and local authorities are extremely interested in ensuring that children and teenagers currently attending school will remain in their communities and regions in the future, as well as find work in Ukraine,’ says Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project Manager.

For more information on how career guidance hubs operate and on the launch of the national career guidance system, using the example of the first DECIDE hub in Chernihiv, please refer to the article: https://bit.ly/3HQRUc7