Mykolayiv, September 18 - for the first time in the region a free training program Skills Lab: A Successful Career for youth has started. Within one month, 30 girls and boys will gain practical skills to help them find their first job in the future. The program is implemented by CSR Ukraine, an expert organization of the CSR Development Center in cooperation with UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the youth policy department of the Mykolayiv City Council.

According to estimates of the Mykolayiv regional employment center, in 2018 the youth unemployment rate was about 23%. According to Oleksandr Ryabenko, the head of youth policy department of the Mykolayiv city council, the main reasons of unemployment are lack of comfortable conditions for development and low level of remuneration. Currently 130,000 people aged 18 to 35 live in Mykolayiv, but due to lack of career opportunities, there is a serious problem of labor migration in the region.

Yuliya Bolhak, Youth Project Manager at CSR Development Center, believes that the launch of the Skills Lab: A Successful Career Program in Mykolaiv is very timely: “Our goal is to better adjust young people's professional skills to the needs of employers and increase the level of citizens' capacities. We strive to create all the necessary comfortable conditions for young people to stay in Ukraine and fulfill their potential here”.

This year, Skills Lab: A Successful Career Program is being implemented in three cities of Ukraine - Mykolayiv, Cherkasy and Kryvyi Rih and will be presented in an updated format. Participants will have 6 interactive lessons to improve their skills for the future. In particular, they will be taught effective planning, critical thinking, time management, negotiation, creativity and project management. Moreover, it is planned to work on practical cases, challenges and homework in specially designed notebooks.

In addition, an online video course on successful career lectures from representatives of leading companies, including Metinvest, Ukrtelecom, Watsons, lifecell, Ukrenergo, Apercon, UKRSIBBANK, Raiffeisen Bank Aval, is integrated into the curriculum.

“I liked this project because there is an opportunity to learn how to write a CV properly, to behave confidently during an interview, to find a potential job, to communicate with employers, and to expand the social network”, - program participant Yuliya Stanko shares her impressions.

Participant of the program Farukh Mirzoyev came to learn the skills of the future, which he will need not only for successful employment, but also for his personal development, "I was very keen to develop my critical thinking, emotional intelligence, learn the basics of negotiating, write compelling CVs and present himself to an advantage at the interview. These skills are needed not only to have a successful career, but also for personal development”, he shared.

In conclusion, the youth signed a memorandum and participated in a coaching session "Letter to Yourself upon the Project Completion". At the finals, participants will be able to submit their CVs to local employers and receive a dream job offer.