“I felt the need for something fundamental.” The story of Andrii, who came to KSE ProfTech to learn metalworking

Andrii is 55. His background spans programming, business, legal practice, public service, years abroad, and a return to Ukraine during the war. Today, he is studying at KSE ProfTech to become a CNC machine operator.

Story provided by KSE ProfTech

His choice is simple: after a wide-ranging professional journey, he wanted to return to something real, precise and fundamental.

His interest in technology began in childhood. His parents worked at a large industrial enterprise in Khmelnytskyi, so engineering and production were part of everyday life. At 14, he built his first computer, and in his later school years trained as a lathe operator at a vocational training centre, achieving a fourth-grade qualification after completing his practical training.

At the time, this was not his main path. After military service, life changed rapidly, and like many in the 1990s, Andrii focused on finding opportunities to work and move forward. His career spanned multiple fields — from entrepreneurship and legal practice to public service and process automation.

Over time, however, one simple question became increasingly important: what is a truly tangible result of one’s work?

“You can change professions, countries, circumstances — but at some point you arrive at something simple: you want to do something real.”

A major turning point was a serious car accident. Afterwards, Andrii had to relearn how to walk over the course of a year and a half. The experience reshaped his perspective: what mattered most were close relationships, support, and having something meaningful to focus on.

The full-scale invasion changed everything again. In the early days, he returned to Ukraine, evacuated his parents from Bucha, and supported recovery efforts after de-occupation. Later, due to his health, he moved to Germany. When he returned, he asked himself a simple question: what next?

That is how he came across KSE ProfTech. Choosing between electronics and machine technologies, he opted for metal.

“I felt the need for something fundamental. I would describe this choice as more aesthetic than logical. The sheen of metal, those perfect surfaces, and the understanding that what you create can last for decades,” he says.

For Andrii, metalworking is not just a profession, but the foundation of any technology. Whatever the idea, it must ultimately be realised physically.

“Whatever a scientist comes up with — until someone makes it in metal, it doesn’t work. Anyone can come up with ideas. But to bring them into reality, and to do so in metal — that’s a completely different level.”

He discovered KSE ProfTech through an announcement, but what convinced him was his first interaction with the team. The organisation of the training, the quality of teaching and the attitude towards students all stood out. He notes that nothing felt formal — both theory and practice were genuinely useful.

Today, he is considering work in high-precision metal processing, taking into account his own circumstances and capabilities. For him, this is a conscious choice — to remain active and engage in work that has meaning.

“This is something anyone can do. You don’t have to be a programmer to work as a CNC turner or milling machine operator. You simply need to appreciate metal and understand how to work with it.”