During the full-scale war, the staff of Kharkivoblenergo JSC decreased by 20%, which the company replenishes through various forms of training, Energoreforma reports .
This was announced by the company’s HR Director Serhiy Vovk during the first meeting of the Energy Development League of Ukraine in Kyiv, dedicated to personnel in the energy sector.
“We are a frontline zone, along the entire perimeter of which there are constant hostilities. As a result, a significant number of employees have left the region and we are facing a staff shortage. Out of an estimated 6,000 employees, we lost 1,200, meaning that the team was reduced by 20%. As a result, today we are in demand for absolutely all field-based specialties, including, in particular, electricians and cable network maintenance specialists,” said Vovk.
According to him, Kharkivoblenergo trains its personnel in the format of dual education under signed agreements with Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute, Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, and the company’s own resources.
According to Vovk, in 2023, almost 1,500 employees of the company were trained, including 1,000 specialists at the Personnel Training Center and more than 400 people at specialized educational institutions. In the first 10 months of 2024, nearly 1,500 more employees have undergone relevant advanced training.
“An important problem is the significant deterioration in the educational level of schoolchildren and students after the transition to distance learning. In addition, a huge number of school and college-age children have left the country. We have lost a large pool of future specialists that we need to catch up with. Therefore, we are actively looking for employees through the State Employment Service and social networks,” explained the HR Director.
He added that the company hires for certain positions even without work experience.
“If a person is ready to work, he or she undergoes training, passes exams, and then can take a higher position than the one we offer them at the beginning,” Vovk said.
As noted during the meeting of the Energy Development League, the labor market in the energy sector will require, according to various estimates, 60 to 80 thousand new employees in the next 10 years, while current educational opportunities allow for training only 10 thousand specialists.
“When I talk to energy professionals, I hear about the enormous demand for already trained specialists who can quickly adapt and work actively. One of the important ways to train such specialists is dual education, but it needs support from the state. It is necessary to quickly remove any legislative obstacles and facilitate procedures, because future energy specialists should study at universities and work at enterprises at the same time, gaining experience and receiving a salary,” said Maksym Urakin, Development Director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency and founder of the NGO Club of Experts .
For reference: The League of Energy Development of Ukraine (LERU) is a non-governmental organization founded by journalists and communicators Oleksandr Holizdra and Serhiy Shevchenko to improve the efficiency of communications and dialogue between all stakeholders of the energy market.
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On November 15, 2024, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency hosted a press conference on “Social Responsibility Practices in Time of War” dedicated to the specifics of Ukrainian business during the war period. The event brought together representatives of leading companies and experts who shared their own cases, innovative practices and visions of the future.
Olena Plakhova, Director of Reputation Management and Marketing at Nova Poshta, emphasized that business in Ukraine is now performing much more than traditional functions and often takes on some of the responsibilities of the state.
“This happens not because of coercion, but because businesses realize their responsibility to society. It is important to rethink the social contract – we not only expect help from the state, but also actively engage in solving urgent problems. For example, the Humanitarian Mail of Ukraine program, which started in 2014, now supports more than 2,000 recipient foundations by providing free delivery of humanitarian aid,” she said.
“Not only did we quickly organize our work, but we also supported local communities and supplied military checkpoints. Our warehouse in Makariv was destroyed, but we found the resources to resume the supply of medicines. It was a unique experience when we had to negotiate logistics corridors and make decisions quickly. In the future, it is important for us to help the victims and participate in the restoration of medical infrastructure, as this is a key part of our mission,” said Yevheniia Piddubna, Corporate Communications Director, Farmak JSC.
In his turn, Oleksandr Sosis, beneficiary of Alliance Bank, noted that the war has changed the emphasis of the company’s social responsibility.
“Previously, our programs were mainly related to employee support, but now the focus has shifted to external initiatives. One example is our Good Deeds Forum, which has become a platform for supporting volunteers. Many of them have become leaders of public initiatives that are now working even more effectively than some government agencies,” he emphasized.
Sergiy Shevchenko, KSG Agro’s press service representative, spoke about the agricultural holding’s activities in the frontline region.
“We have adapted our operations to the war conditions, increased salaries for our employees and strengthened security at our facilities. One of the key areas was ensuring food safety: we increased the number of pigs at our complex in Kherson region from 500 to 20 thousand. This is an important contribution to the stability of the region and support for local communities,” said the farmer.
Maksym Urakin, Director of Development and Marketing at Interfax-Ukraine and founder of the Experts Club think tank, emphasized the importance of helping civilians and creating communication projects in times of war.
“Our project “Find Your Loved Ones” has become a lifesaver for many civilians who have lost contact with their families due to the war. We have combined the efforts of the media and volunteers to search for missing people and have achieved significant results. We also help volunteer initiatives by organizing press conferences, providing information support and supplying mobile hospitals for civilians,” he said.
According to the expert, the Ukrainian economy is showing significant growth despite the challenges.
“In the first nine months of 2024, Ukraine’s GDP grew by 4.5% year-on-year. The results of the metallurgical sector are particularly impressive, as it increased production of steel and rolled products by 22-28% during this period. The agricultural sector also showed a significant increase due to the early harvest of late crops,” said Maxim Urakin.
According to him, Ukrainian business continues to adapt to the war by moving production to safer regions or even abroad.
“Medium-sized businesses are forced to actively migrate across Ukraine and integrate into the European economy – more than 200 companies have opened production facilities in the EU,” Urakin added.
But there are also negative trends. The expert emphasized the need to improve trust in government institutions, as according to an April survey by Active Group and Experts Club, 57% of citizens do not trust government agencies, and 62% do not trust law enforcement agencies.
The event also featured the presentation of the book Unbreakable Business by Oleksandr Holizdra and Serhiy Shevchenko, which tells unique stories about the resilience of Ukrainian companies during the war period. The publication has become a symbol of the entrepreneurial spirit that inspires us to move towards victory.
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