Mykolayiv, May 23 – CSR Ukraine, CSR Development Center expert organization and UNFPA, as well as the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, brought together the representatives of local and national campaigns within the framework of the regional forum: "Business and Youth: WOW-effect of cooperation", under the Ukrainian Pact for Youth-2019 program

Yuliya Novak, UNFPA Youth and HIV Advisor, spoke at the forum opening: "The Pact for Youth is a great initiative not only for young people, but for society as a whole. Often programs offered in educational institutions do not fully encompass the skills needs for successful youth. Therefore, the knowledge and experience that young people can gain from such forums and during internships in companies is really important".

Among other issues regarding the employment of young people, according to employers, are the following: uncertainty in the choice of the future profession, over-expectations of work and wages, lack of skills, negative experience of previous work and the influence of parents on the career choice.

Taras Derkach, Career Hub Coordinator of CSR Development Center, confirmed: "According to the results of KIIS sociological research in 2018, 15% of young people aged 18-29 are ready to emigrate abroad due to the lack of proper employment opportunities. At the same time, the largest number of the interviewees wishing to leave Ukraine were from the southern region - 43.8%. That is why the Pact begins working in the Mykolayiv oblast. The next month it is planned to launch the "Skills Lab: Your Own Business" program as a training course for startups. And "Skills Lab: A Successful Career", aimed at developing the employments skills, is going to start in September.  

During the event, the Pact was solemnly signed by four local companies: Lactalis, Pan-Shokolatye chocolate studio, Automyr Group of Companies, and Koblevo Travel LLC. Representative of the Automyr GC Nataliya Kutnyak noted, "Involving young people is an acute need in our region. We are happy to join the initiative and we will create each and every comfortable condition for young people to stay in Ukraine, our companies provided traineeships for students, and the staff were trained and improved their qualifications".

Within the framework of the HR Specialists Forum, the seminar "Employer's Brand for Youth" was held, generating useful insights on how to effectively involve the generation Z youth, to maintain the mental health of the staff, and to implement a family-friendly approach to the organization. Young people, while solving B2Y Challenge business cases from companies, developed their own creative approaches and received prizes from the organizers. At the end of the event, the Lifecell company held a CV writing and interview taking workshop.

"I was highly impressed with the innovative approach and real case studies of companies. I finally got an insight into what type of employees the companies are looking for, and what relevant opportunities can be used now. Moreover, I've got a lot of valuable take-outs on writing a CV and passing an interview", said Zlatoslav Osipov, a forum participant.