Ukraine’s future economic recovery hinges on people and places: where jobs are, where workers live, and how fast skills can be built for critical roles. This series, produced by IREX with our Ukrainian partner, EasyBusiness, translates some of the latest labor-market data from Ukraine into actionable guidance for investors, employers, and government. The series focuses on five key sectors: Construction, Logistics, Energy, Manufacturing, and Technology. These five sectors were selected because they are strategically important for Ukraine’s economy, have been significantly affected by the war, are central to recovery and modernization, and face acute labor and skill shortages that require targeted analysis and intervention.

Our guiding question in developing these profiles was: How can Ukraine close urgent workforce gaps while also improving long-term economic resilience?

What’s inside:

• Concise sector snapshots with labor-demand trends, regional data, and priority workforce roles
• Evidence from local labor market researchers with access to survey data, interviews, and official statistics
• Pipeline diagnostics: where education-to-employment pathways break down and potential solutions
• Practical recommendations: including youth workforce programming, mobility supports, short intensive trainings, targeted incentives, and apprenticeship/mentorship models

Featured resources

Construction: Rebuilding the workforce that rebuilds the country

Operating at about 60% of pre-war capacity, the construction sector faces approximately 2.4 openings per available candidate, with shortages most acute in western Ukraine hubs like Lviv. 

Logistics: Unclogging the route to recovery

Freight transport is rebounding (+3% in 2023; +18% in early 2024), but vacancies are high in Kyiv and Lviv while surplus jobseekers remain in eastern Ukraine. 

Energy: Specialized skills for grid reliability and a cleaner future

Only about 25% of pre-war energy generation capacity remains after targeted military attacks, and shortages in electricians, dispatchers, and digital systems specialists threaten both electrical grid reliability and modernization. 

Manufacturing: Diverging paths between heavy and light industry

The metallurgy sector is facing 4.6 vacancies per candidate and steep employment losses, while the textiles sector (light industry) has adapted and transitioned to new production centers in central and western Ukraine. 

Technology: From junior oversupply to experienced talent pipelines

Tech remains an export engine for Ukraine, but employers report strain in experienced roles—database/cybersecurity engineers, telecom engineers, system admins, and testing/dev specialists—while junior pipelines are saturated. 

Interested in learning more?

Download the full set of briefs, request a briefing with an IREX expert, or partner with us to design employer-led pathways, mobility supports, and measurement plans. 

For additional background, review our resources.