On 15 January, Head of the Department of Marketing, PR Technologies and Logistics, Doctor of Economics, Professor Inna Khomenko represented Chernihiv Polytechnic National University in Kyiv at the “ACTIVATE Forum Active Employment Policy: Ways of Implementation.”

The event brought together partners to mark the completion of the first phase of Enabel’s ALMP Facility grant programme and the announcement of the launch of the second “Professions for the Future” competition. The participants were greeted by Luc Jacobs, Ambassador of Belgium to Ukraine, Dariia Marchak, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, and Henrik Witfeld, Head of Public Finance, Business Support and Social Policy at the EU Delegation to Ukraine. Zhanna Osypenko, Deputy Head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration, and Zhanna Sherstyuk, Deputy Head of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration, presented their vision of regional economic development.

Dirk Depre, Director of Enabel in Ukraine, emphasised: “An active employment policy is first and foremost about people, not just economic indicators. Support for employment, returning to the labour market and acquiring new skills is the key to sustainable recovery.” During the forum, nine finalists of the ALMP Facility grant programme, including Chernihiv Polytechnic National University, which is participating in three projects, presented initiatives aimed at revitalising the labour markets in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions. Among the projects presented were career support for veterans, short-term educational programmes for the construction industry, and training for electricians to restore critical infrastructure. These initiatives will be implemented with the support of Belgium.

Oleksandra Borodiienko, an expert at Enabel, summed up: “The finalists demonstrated a deep understanding of the needs of regional labour markets and specific communities. All projects involve a comprehensive approach — from training or retraining to further employment in partner companies.”