“Career Start” is not only about employment. It’s also about gaining self-belief, not being afraid of mistakes, finding support, and building confidence. Below are stories from Zakarpattia

Many of us have faced a “vicious circle”: to get your first job, you need work experience, but without a first job, it’s impossible to gain that experience. To address this challenge, the Ukrainian Youth Foundation launched the “Career Start” grant program. Since its launch in December last year, the program has already covered six regions of Ukraine: Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Zakarpattia, Lviv, and Kyiv.

In Zakarpattia, two young people received a real key to starting their careers – both are graduates of a vocational school. It is important to note that Zakarpattia region faces unique challenges when it comes to youth employment. A high level of decentralization, with many small towns and villages, limits access to jobs. Decades of labor migration pushed young people to look for opportunities abroad, and since the start of the war, the region has also become a shelter for a large number of internally displaced persons. In addition, the low number of large enterprises restricts stable employment opportunities, while the lack of training programs tailored to the local labor market forces young people to leave in search of work and professional growth.

“I clearly remember the moment when the project started”, – says Elina Tsiva, entrepreneur and grant recipient of the “Career Start” program. “Our goal was not just to give young people a job, but to create an environment where they could learn, gain experience, and confidently move forward in their profession”.

The grant of 76,880 UAH allowed the business to provide two young specialists with their first official employment. This is one of seven youth initiatives supported by “Career Start,” which helped employ 33 young people in total. The overall program budget reaches 1.5 million UAH and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the German state development bank KfW.

Svitlana, one of the employed graduates, recalls: “I was worried that no one would hire me without experience. That’s the standard response from employers – “we need people with practical skills.” So when I got the opportunity to join this project, at first I didn’t believe I would adapt quickly. But thanks to mentor support and working with real tasks, I not only learned the basics of the profession, but also gained confidence. I work with primary documentation, calculate salaries, sick leave and vacation payments, and use the client-bank system. Today, I know that I have every chance to grow and move forward in my career”.

Lilia, the second project participant, adds: “Do you know what’s the best part? Gaining belief in yourself. I wanted to work, but most vacancies required experience. Here, I was given the chance to learn on the job, which helped me believe in myself. I used to be afraid of making mistakes, but when you work in a team that supports and teaches you, the fear disappears. Now I don’t just complete tasks – I understand the logic behind accounting processes, which opens more opportunities for me in the future. This job became not only my first work experience, but also my first important step in professional growth”.

In the context of the full-scale war, Ukrainian youth face numerous challenges that threaten their future and the country’s stability. According to the UNDP study “The Impact of the War on Youth in Ukraine – 2024”, 21% of young people reported limitations and barriers in economic opportunities, with this figure reaching 31% in southern regions. In addition, 36% experienced a decrease or loss of income, and 28% reported worsening mental health. These factors increase the risk of large-scale emigration of young professionals, which could lead to workforce losses, reduced tax revenues, and slower economic development. In response to these challenges, the “Career Start” program focuses on supporting youth employment by providing opportunities for professional development and strengthening the country’s economic resilience.

“When we gave these young people a chance, we understood that this was not just employment – it was truly the start of their professional lives. I am confident that these two will go far. Even now, they show initiative, look for solutions, and learn to adapt quickly to challenges. That is the most valuable thing you can gain at the beginning of a career”, – concludes Elina Tsiva.

The grant program is implemented by the Ukrainian Youth Foundation in partnership with UNICEF and the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation, with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.