Zelenskyy Highlights Vocational Education Reform

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with students and business representatives during a visit to a professional college for restaurant and hotel services in Rivne, highlighting the role of vocational education in Ukraine’s reconstruction and economic development.

The college was modernized and equipped through EU4Skills, an initiative backed by the European Union and its member states. The Rivne region now has 40 training and practical centers, including seven established in 2025. The facilities train young people and support the retraining of adults, including veterans.

Zelenskyy said demand for applied professions would grow as Ukraine rebuilds, while students raised concerns about increasing scholarships. The Ministry of Education and Science is expected to examine possible solutions. The president also discussed employment opportunities with representatives of the food service, restaurant and hotel industries.

Education Minister Oksen Lisovyi said a vocational education reform launched in 2024 had expanded cooperation between businesses and educational institutions. He said more than 200 workshops had been upgraded under the 100 Workshops project, with state investment in vocational education modernization exceeding 2 billion hryvnias.