Not Starting from Scratch: Stories of People Who Found Work and Regained Their Footing through PROMTECH

“I wasn’t sure whether I’d be able to provide for my family in my condition,” says veteran Oleksandr as he begins his story. Originally from Kherson, Oleksandr was forced to leave his home. After being demobilised, he decided to retrain and completed a vocational course offered by the Promprylad Foundation.

Launched in Ivano-Frankivsk last spring, PROMTECH was established to help people find meaningful employment. Asked why the platform was created, its graduates’ stories provide the most compelling answer. One of them is Alla Chernii, who was displaced from Kherson and began training for a new profession at the age of 58.

“My family lost everything. At first, we stayed under occupation, hoping our city would be liberated. Then came what I can only describe as our ‘journey across Ukraine’. When you leave your home behind, you feel like you’ve become nothing. You have no dreams, no occupation, no possessions. During the first years of the full-scale war, we simply couldn’t bring ourselves to do anything. We lived with one overwhelming hope — that one day we would return home.”

Alla and her family have now been living in Ivano-Frankivsk for more than a year, as Kherson remains an active danger zone. She says that once they had settled into their new city, she realised that life was passing her by. At the same time, she knew she still had the energy and determination to work. Before the full-scale invasion, Alla had worked as a nurse, but she had no desire to return to her former profession.

In just one year, more than 200 learners have completed PROMTECH training programmes. The platform has also expanded its 3D modelling and printing course beyond Ivano-Frankivsk, bringing it to Lutsk as well.

PROMTECH is led by Oksana Arkhypchuk, an employment expert with more than a decade of experience in educational projects. She explains that every training programme is developed in response to employer demand, with one clear objective: helping graduates secure employment.

“We focus on opportunities that directly improve people’s livelihoods and help them find work they genuinely enjoy. What inspires me most are the stories of people aged 50 and over who have the courage to embrace change and retrain for completely new careers.”

Over the past year, PROMTECH has delivered training programmes in a range of professions, including 3D modelling and printing, decorative plastering, electrical installation, electronic equipment assembly, CNC machine operation, and quality control management.

Oleksandr Shuliev also relocated from Kherson to Ivano-Frankivsk following the full-scale invasion. The veteran says that after acquiring a disability, he immediately realised he would need to learn a new profession.

“Before the full-scale invasion, I created engraved portraits on granite. It was a job that required both creativity and physical strength. I loved what I did, and my work was valued by the company. That’s why I chose to train as a CNC machine operator — the way these machines work is quite similar to the equipment I had used in my previous profession.”

Alongside the woodworking CNC operator course, Oleksandr also enrolled in PROMTECH’s 3D modelling and printing programme. He was looking for a way back into employment, exploring careers related to IT or jobs that involved less physically demanding work. After his injury, his biggest concern was how he would continue to support his family.

“The physical strain is minimal — you programme the machine and simply monitor that it follows the instructions correctly. I found it genuinely interesting. I learned the fundamentals, and they proved invaluable in my new job. I didn’t come to my employer with nothing — I came with a solid foundation of knowledge.”

PROMTECH graduate Alla admits that after completing the course, she encountered employers who were hesitant because of her age. She believes, however, that people can continue working well into their seventies, as long as they have the energy and motivation.

“One employer was probably put off by my age. He looked at me in surprise and said, ‘Fifty-eight!’ Perhaps he was simply afraid of hiring an older woman like me. But others weren’t — they gave me a chance.”

When veteran Oleksandr was looking for work, he encountered a different challenge. While labour protections for people with disabilities are intended to safeguard their health and well-being, he says some employers see these legal obligations as a reason not to hire them.

“Not every employer is willing to accommodate the legal requirements for employees with disabilities. Even in a relatively light job, working an eight-hour day can be difficult if you have a spinal injury. I wish more employers would comply with the law by providing guaranteed breaks and other reasonable accommodations, instead of refusing to hire people in the first place.”

According to PROMTECH Project Lead Oksana Arkhypchuk, the platform now works with more than 25 employer partners across the city and the wider region. Today, 41% of graduates have secured employment, while others have gone on to become self-employed.

“PROMTECH simply wouldn’t exist without its partners. It is thanks to businesses, educational institutions, civil society organisations and development partners that we have been able to connect people with jobs where those connections previously didn’t exist. We firmly believe in strengthening existing systems rather than creating parallel ones. That is why we continue to expand our network of organisations that are open to partnership and free from stereotypes.”

For Alla Chernii, who was forced to leave her home in Kherson, the programme ultimately led to a new job. She found employment just a few months after completing her training.

“I realised that I couldn’t just wait and hope that someone else would change my life for me. I have to take the steps towards my own dreams and make the most of every opportunity to live and work. Even my granddaughter tells me, ‘Grandma, you’re amazing.’ I want to show her that no matter what happens, you should never give up. You just have to keep moving forward.”

Veteran Oleksandr Shuliev also found employment after completing the programme. His wife is now waiting for the next intake to enrol in the Electronic Equipment Assembly course, despite having no previous experience in the field.

PROMTECH plans to expand its retraining and employment platform to other regions of Ukraine, continuing to connect forward-looking employers with people seeking new career opportunities.

Story by Anastasiia Antonenko