INTERNSHIPS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Internships serve as a direct channel between supply and demand in Ukraine’s labour market.
For the past three years, Helvetas has been researching employment trends in Ukraine, with a focus on opportunities for internally displaced persons (IDPs), people with disabilities, and veterans.
According to our Labour Market Assessment 2024-2025, only 3% of officially employed people are IDPs, 6% are people with disabilities, and 1% are veterans — even though more than 70% of employers express readiness to hire them.
To help close this gap, Helvetas is piloting an internship model in the Kharkiv, Poltava, and Sumy regions, connecting business needs with people eager to regain economic activity. For many participants in Helvetas programmes, an internship has become the first step toward permanent employment.
In 2023, Helvetas organised three-month internships for 46 people across 19 local businesses. In 2024, eight companies were selected to host 28 interns — all from vulnerable groups.
Why Internships Matter?
Helvetas internships are designed to deliver measurable benefits at every level:
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Participants gain workplace experience, job-ready skills, and access to professional networks;
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Enterprises benefit from motivated trainees who can transition seamlessly into regular employment, reducing onboarding time and costs;
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Regional economies grow stronger through increased employment and better alignment of workforce skills with business needs.
Helvetas collaborates with employment service agencies and employer networks to integrate internship outcomes into broader employment programmes. This approach supports the systemic reform of Ukraine’s labour-market ecosystem — from training to placement to long-term retention.
By embedding internships within a framework of analytics, institutional coordination, and regional labour-market strategies, Helvetas elevates them beyond ad-hoc training. These placements become a cornerstone of a resilient employment system that drives Ukraine’s long-term economic recovery.
