In Odesa, volunteers have launched the online platform “Course” where veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war can choose a specialty, undergo training and find a job.
The Course service allows demobilized soldiers to take online training, pass a test, and receive an invitation for an interview and a job. The project was developed by the Kruk UAV Operator Training Center with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation and in cooperation with the Free and Faithful NGO.
Currently, the platform offers training in the following fields: construction, administration, sales, pharmacology, communication, and the agricultural sector. Employer partners include Ukrzaliznytsia, Kernel, Arterium, and Kovalska ICG.
Businesses offer veterans not only purely civilian specialties. For example, Ukrzaliznytsia is ready to train UAV operators, as the specifics of wartime require enhanced security measures, and former military personnel could be excellent helpers in the fight against saboteurs.
According to project manager Mykyta Havrylenko, due to the severe staff shortage, business representatives are interested in workers. In this context, veterans are people who are exempt from military service and will not be drafted into the army in any case.
“Job search is almost always stressful. But on our platform, we have made it so that as soon as a person completes the Course, he or she immediately receives an invitation for an interview from an employer,” Havrylenko said.
The online platform also focuses on integrating the experience of U.S. veteran policy into Ukrainian realities.
“This is a set of measures aimed at psychological support, physical rehabilitation, and social reintegration of veterans. It cannot be broken down into specific steps, it gives results in a complex. We are currently working on the documentary part and working with our American colleagues to draw up a roadmap, because we understand that their experience must be applied to our realities,” said Serhii Sizonenko, head of the Mykolaiv branch of the Free and Faithful NGO.
Vitalii Hersak, the founder of the NGO, emphasized that the Course platform is not just a new tool for training and employment, but, above all, a response to the challenges faced by veterans after returning home.
“It provides support in adapting to civilian life and opens up new opportunities for professional development. We understand that reintegration is a complex process, so our priority is to provide veterans with everything they need for a successful transition to civilian life,” Hersak emphasized.
