From theory to practice: the results of the study of vocational education in the agricultural sector of Ukraine

The activity of agricultural educational institutions in Ukraine allows to form a proper supply in the labor market in the agricultural sector, but the quality of personnel support requires improvement. This conclusion was reached by representatives of the Center for Cross -Border Cooperation in the framework of the expert study “Assessment of the existing situation in the field of regional vocational education in the agricultural sector in Ukraine”, which was conducted among 375 respondents in 15 regions of Ukraine.

Approximately a third of the respondents (39.6%) set mediocre quality assessments of regional agricultural training programs. The two most acute specific problems with graduates have named the lack of practical skills (62.2% of respondents) and lack of initiative (53.8%).

The results of the survey also revealed the lack of communication and cooperation between profile educational institutions and business in matters of recruitment. Almost half of the survey participants (47.6%) called the search for skilled workers a difficult task, of which 20.9% rated it as “very difficult”. In addition, representatives of agricultural business are not actively included in the process of training of specialists, mostly do not have systematic cooperation with vocational schools and educational centers. Two third of the survey participants (67.6%) noted that such cooperation is limited to periodic admission of trainees’ business companies. This is mainly due to experience and experience (21.8%of respondents), low theoretical knowledge and low qualification of trainees (17.3%), lack of desire or motivation for business companies or motivation to perform mentoring work (14.2%), low motivation of practitioners (12.9%).

The most critical feedback on the work of vocational schools and educational centers by respondents has received a practical component of training. Yes, students and graduates have focused on the problem of lack of necessary educational tools and modern equipment, a limited number of training hours for practical classes. In general, the respondents have a powerful request to increase the practical component of training with the focus on mastering modern agro -technologies and technology.

The results of the survey will be taken into account in the preparation of recommendations for reforming domestic professional agricultural education.

You can find out more about the survey results at the linksReport 1,Report 2.

Reference: Project “Promoting Regional Professional Education in Agriculture and Rural Development in Eastern Partnership countries” receives support through the regranting of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Civil Society and is financed by the European Union as part of its support for civil society in the region. Within the framework of the regiment of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, it supports the projects of its members that contribute to the achievement of the Mission and goals of the forum. The total amount for the 2018 competition is 250,000 euros. Grants are available to CSOs of Eastern Partnership and EU countries. The main areas of support are democracy and human rights, economic integration, environment and energy, contacts between people, social and labor policy policies.

The project is aimed at improving regional vocational education in the field of agriculture. The purpose of this initiative is to study the needs of regional vocational education of agricultural direction, to develop recommendations for further improvement of programs of vocational education at the regional level in the countries of the participating Eastern Partnership (in particular, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia), as well as the promotion of reforms in the countries of Eastern Partnership.