Women and youth step up as Ukraine faces labor shortages

After years of working in "boring, sedentary" office jobs at various Ukrainian companies, Liliia Shulha finally secured her dream role as a truck driver with Fozzy Group, Ukraine's top retailer. 

As a child, Shulha, now 40, was fascinated by big vehicles rather than typical toys like dolls. "Now my dream has come true," she said. "What I like about my profession is that I get to constantly see new places."

With the military campaign depleting the labor force, Ukrainian businesses are finding new ways to fill critical gaps by hiring more women in traditionally male-dominated fields and tapping into new demographics like teenagers, students, and older workers.

Millions have fled the country - mostly women and children - while tens of thousands of men have been drafted into the army. Analysts warn that the loss of over a quarter of Ukraine's workforce since Russia's campaign in February 2022 could threaten the nation's economic growth.

In a recent economy ministry survey of more than 3,000 companies, nearly 60 percent reported that finding skilled workers is their main challenge. Representatives from nine businesses, ranging from large industrial firms to retail groups and small entrepreneurs, echoed concerns over staffing shortages and a growing skills mismatch.

In response, companies are revamping recruitment strategies by increasing automation, rotating existing staff, expanding job descriptions, rehiring retirees, and providing more benefits to attract younger employees. To remain competitive, businesses have also raised wages - the average monthly salary now stands at about 20,000 hryvnias ($470), up from 14,500 a year ago.

The labor gap is most severe in traditionally male-dominated sectors, such as agriculture, logistics, and security. In the southern Mykolayiv region, women are training as tractor drivers, and across the country, more women are taking on roles as tram operators, truck drivers, miners, security personnel, and warehouse staff.

Fozzy Group, for example, now has six female truck drivers, including Shulha, and is actively recruiting women for roles such as loaders, meat splitters, and security guards. Shulha, who works in 15-day stretches on the road, has moved in with her parents to help care for her teenage son and daughter.

"People are curious and shocked when they see me. They all film me on their phones when I deliver or load my lorry," Shulha said. "They take pictures of me, whether it's passers-by or others, they're all in shock."

To tackle the workforce shortage, some companies are also targeting younger workers. Silpo, a division of Fozzy Group, is hiring teenagers for entry-level supermarket roles and has launched an internship program specifically for students. 

"Generally speaking, hiring women is a great thing. We're doing everything possible and impossible to improve (the working environment) for women, to make working for us more comfortable and interesting," Lyubov Ukrainets, human resources director at Silpo, said. 

Similarly, Vodafone's youth initiative now offers first job experiences for around 50 teenagers in 12 cities.

"I believe that I'm gaining important experience here for my future," 16-year-old intern Hlib said. "If I'm going to work in an office or somewhere else where I'm going to oversee processes, my experience in sales will be important."

The government, along with international partners, has also introduced several reskilling programs to help Ukrainians adapt to new job markets and rebuild the country's workforce.

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