Career Day at WUNU!
A careers day was held today at West Ukrainian National University. Dozens of employers visited the university, ranging from representatives of leading banks, food industry firms, confectionery companies, retail chains and children’s entertainment centres to government agencies and the police.
Career Day is an important platform for fostering collaboration between the university, students and employers. Young people had the opportunity to meet potential employers face-to-face and find out about job vacancies, internship programmes, career prospects and current labour market requirements.
Opening the event, Viktor Ostroverkhov, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Research at WUNU, addressed the audience: “Education today rests on three key pillars: the university, the students and employers. Only through close cooperation can we nurture top-quality graduates who are ready for the real world. Career Day is an important step in this collaboration. We are actively involving employers in shaping our educational programmes and continue to transform our university’s career centre, making it even more accessible to students and businesses. We would like to thank the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the opportunity to hold this event, our graduates for their constant support, and the Ternopil Regional Employment Centre for their excellent co-organisation. I wish everyone productive work, and the students – useful connections and the right steps towards the future.”
Olha Zavytii, Director of the WUNU Career Centre and organiser of Career Day, noted during her discussions with employers that it is extremely important for the university to create opportunities for direct communication between students and representatives from various sectors. According to her, such events give young people the opportunity to establish professional contacts and take their first steps towards a successful career whilst still studying.
Mykola Horodetskyi, Director of the Ternopil Regional Employment Centre, said: “We are seeing a great deal of interest from employers today — their desire to take part in the event is growing year on year. Companies from a wide range of sectors are represented here: the financial sector, manufacturing, agriculture, management and many others. I urge students to engage actively, find out about vacancies and salary levels. For internally displaced persons, employers often offer housing allowances. Young people wishing to start their own business can take advantage of the government’s ‘Own Business’ programme and receive a grant of up to 200,000 hryvnias. Thank you to WUNU for this strategic partnership. Study, develop, find employment and stay in Ukraine!”
Nataliia Naichuk, Director of the Department of Social Protection at the Ternopil Regional State Administration, remarked: “I am here today not only as a representative of the government, but also as a potential employer. The social welfare sector has long since ceased to be limited to caring for the elderly. It involves the development of resilience centres and new social services for children, military personnel and the families of the fallen. Therefore, dear students, social service centres, resilience centres and social service provision centres are open to you. We are in great need of young, professional and qualified staff.”
As part of Career Day, a round-table discussion entitled ‘The Educational Ecosystem: A Dialogue Between Universities and Employers’ was held, moderated by Lesia Bilovus, Director of the Centre for Licensing, Accreditation, Methodological Work and Quality Assurance at WUNU. Participants discussed the current needs of the labour market, the expected competencies of graduates, strengthening the practical component of education, dual education, and adapting programmes to today’s rapid changes.
In addition, a variety of sessions were held for students throughout the Career Day. Oksana Horokhovska, a psychologist at the Ternopil branch of the Ternopil Regional Employment Centre, spoke to young people about the key aspects of successful employment. Oksana Pankiv, a consultant at the ‘Made in Ukraine’ Office, shared insights into the opportunities for starting a business under the government’s ‘Own Business’ project. Entrepreneur, AI expert and advertising specialist Oleh Filits spoke to students about the use of artificial intelligence and preparing for the professions of the future. Valentyna Sloma, Doctor of Law, Professor and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Law at WUNU, spoke to the students about building a career in wartime, whilst Tetiana Nadvynichna, PhD in Psychology and Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology and Social Work at WUNU, explored the psychology of self-confidence and explained how to succeed in a job interview.
Career Day is a key element in shaping the university’s professional environment, as it fosters partnerships between employers and students, helps future professionals better navigate current labour market trends, and enables them to confidently chart their own career paths. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all partners, employers, speakers and participants for their active involvement, support and contribution to the event. Career Day at WUNU has once again demonstrated that collaboration between education and business opens up new prospects for the professional development of young people and the advancement of modern education in Ukraine.
