In Odesa, volunteers have launched the online platform ‘Course’, where veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war can choose a speciality, take training and find a job.
The Course service allows demobilised soldiers to take online training, pass a test and receive an invitation for an interview and employment. The project was developed by the Kruk UAV Operator Training Centre with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation and in cooperation with the Free and Faithful NGO.
Currently, the platform offers training in the following fields: construction, administration, sales, pharmacology, communication, and the agricultural sector. Employer partners include Ukrzaliznytsia, Kernel, Arterium and Kovalska ICG.
Businesses offer veterans not only purely civilian jobs. For example, Ukrzaliznytsia is ready to train UAV operators, as the specifics of wartime require enhanced security measures, and former military personnel could be excellent helpers in the fight against saboteurs.
According to project manager Mykyta Havrylenko, due to the severe staff shortage, business representatives are interested in workers. In this context, veterans are people who are exempt from military service and will not be drafted into the army in any case
“Looking for a job is almost always stressful. But on our platform, we have made it so that as soon as a person takes the Course, he or she immediately receives an invitation to an interview from an employer,” said Havrylenko.
The Kurs online platform also focuses on integrating the experience of US veteran policy into Ukrainian realities.
“This is a set of measures aimed at both psychological support and physical rehabilitation, as well as social reintegration of veterans. It cannot be broken down into specific steps, it gives results in a complex. We are currently working on the documentary part and are working with our American colleagues to draw up a roadmap, because we understand that their experience should be applied to our realities,” said Serhiy Sizonenko, head of the Mykolaiv branch of the Free and Faithful NGO.
Vitaliy Gersak, the founder of the NGO, stressed that the Course platform is not just a new tool for training and employment, but primarily a response to the challenges faced by veterans upon returning home.
“It provides support in adapting to civilian life and opens up new opportunities for professional development. We understand that reintegration is a complex process, so our priority is to provide veterans with everything they need for a successful transition to civilian life,” Gersak said.
The platform is currently in test mode. You can access it here.
Source: “Ukrinform“
