A project to create jobs and support businesses with the assistance of Denmark has been launched in Mykolaiv

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched a project in Mykolaiv region to help people find jobs and start their own businesses. It includes training programmes, grant support for businesses, and the modernisation of vocational education.

At the opening, an agreement on a Local Employment Partnership (LEP) was signed. It will allow the authorities, employers and educators to join forces to better adapt vocational education to the real needs of the labour market and help local businesses, writes NikVesti.

The initiative includes training for IDPs, veterans and people aged 45+, modernisation of vocational education, grant support for businesses and employment promotion for vulnerable groups.

The project is being implemented with the financial support of the Danish government, and its implementation in Mykolaiv region is coordinated by the NGO and «Ukrainian Association of Business Support Centres» in partnership with local authorities, educational institutions and businesses. It will run until 2026, covering Mykolaiv and Odesa regions. Its total budget is 310 thousand dollars.

«The Kingdom of Denmark has been supporting the projects of the International Labour Office in Ukraine for several years. The entire Danish people believe that Ukraine is already part of the European Union, which means that the Ukrainian labour market and economy must be competitively prepared for Ukraine's accession to the EU,» says Jakob Hansen, Head of the Office of the Royal Danish Embassy in Mykolaiv.

The event featured a panel discussion where experts discussed the main challenges for the local labour market. The key issues include a shortage of qualified personnel in strategic industries and job losses due to the destruction of enterprises.

Director of the regional employment centre Dmytro Oboronko (right). Photo: NikVesti

Dmytro Oboronko, director of the Mykolaiv Regional Employment Centre, said that the number of unemployed people applying to the employment service has dropped from 34% in 2021 to 27% in 2024.

«The gender distribution among the unemployed has also changed significantly: while in 2021, the share of men among those applying to the employment service was 45%, in early 2025, this figure dropped to 20%. The number of vacancies from employers has also decreased. Before the full-scale war, about 20,000 were submitted per year, and in 2024, only 8,700. At the same time, the ratio of unemployed to vacancies in the region is uneven: in Mykolaiv, the figure is two people per vacancy, while in Bashtanka district it is 43,» he said.

According to Dmytro Oboronko, there is a growing demand for technical professions that require not only qualifications but also the involvement of men. Accountants, doctors, nurses, cooks, seamstresses, salespeople, and specialists from the state employment service are also in constant demand on the market.

In the near future, the project will launch retraining courses, consultations for job seekers, and small business support programmes.

A project to create jobs and support businesses with the assistance of Denmark has been launched in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti

A project to create jobs and support businesses with the assistance of Denmark has been launched in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti

A project to create jobs and support businesses with the assistance of Denmark has been launched in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti

Mykola Marinov, deputy head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration. Photo: NikVesti

Aida Lindemeyer, Director of the Ukrainian office of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Photo: NikVesti

Representatives of departments and offices of the Mykolaiv Regional Council and City Council: NikVesti

Olga Raku, Head of Projects and Programmes, NGO «Ukrainian Association of Business Support Centres». Photo: NikVesti

Participants of the event at the signing of the agreement on job creation and business support with the assistance of DenmarkPhoto: NikVesti

Representatives of departments and offices of the Mykolaiv Regional Council. Photo: NikVesti

An agreement on job creation and business support with the assistance of Denmark was signed in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti

An agreement on job creation and business support with the assistance of Denmark was signed in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti

Photo: NikVesti

An agreement on job creation and business support with the assistance of Denmark was signed in Mykolaiv: NikVesti

An agreement on job creation and business support with the assistance of Denmark was signed in Mykolaiv: NikVesti