16.09.2026
The popularity of energy-related disciplines among young people depends on more than the work of universities. Companies must also participate in career guidance, explain the professions available within the sector and show students tangible opportunities for future employment.
Andrii Malyar, Director of the Institute of Power Engineering and Control Systems at Lviv Polytechnic National University, made these remarks during the online meeting “Business and Universities: How to Prepare Professionals for Ukraine’s Energy Sector Together”, held by Energy Club on 14 September as part of the Energy Freedom talk show.
Malyar explained that Lviv Polytechnic is already developing various forms of cooperation with employers and other stakeholders. The university operates a Veteran Development Centre, delivers professional development courses and implements joint educational and career guidance projects with companies.
One of its newest initiatives is the interdisciplinary master’s programme “Electricity Markets”, launched in 2026. Lecturers from several university institutes are involved in delivering the programme, including specialists in energy and economics.
This approach is intended to provide students not only with a technical understanding of how the energy system operates but also with knowledge of energy economics and electricity market functioning.
“A modern professional needs more than technical training. They must also understand energy economics. Energy is not only about current and voltage – it is also about money,” Malyar emphasised.
The new master’s programme responds to energy companies’ demand for specialists capable of working at the intersection of engineering, economics and market processes. These employees need to understand the technical characteristics of electricity generation, transmission and distribution, as well as pricing principles, commercial mechanisms and the economic consequences of particular decisions.
The Director devoted particular attention to career guidance. According to him, a university cannot independently give prospective students a complete understanding of their future profession, working conditions and career prospects. Employers must participate actively in this process.
“The popularity of any sector, including energy, among prospective students depends not only on universities but also on employers. Companies need to show young people why they should work for them and what education they need in order to do so,” Malyar said.
As an example of effective cooperation, he referred to Lviv Polytechnic’s experience with Energoatom. Under tripartite agreements involving the university, the company and individual students, high-performing students receive additional scholarships and can expect guaranteed employment after graduation.
Even before receiving their degrees, these students know where they will be able to work, what conditions will be offered and what level of remuneration they can expect. This makes their career choice more informed and gives them a clear professional outlook.
“Students already know where they will work after graduating, what conditions they can expect and what their salary will be. This has a significant effect on their motivation and their attitude towards their studies,” the Director explained.
In his view, a university can tell prospective students that their education will allow them to work in the energy sector, but it cannot always answer specific questions about a particular company, job responsibilities, working conditions and career development. These answers need to come from prospective employers.
Lviv Polytechnic actively involves company representatives in its career guidance activities. This cooperation extends beyond traditional meetings with students and includes joint hackathons, summer schools, career fairs, science festivals and competitions for student and academic research.
Malyar specifically mentioned student research competitions organised by Energoatom with the involvement of Ukrainian universities. Such initiatives allow students to demonstrate their knowledge, receive professional recognition and learn more about the activities of a prospective employer.
“The more actively employers participate in career guidance, the more motivated and informed a school student’s choice will be. Young people will understand what the energy sector is, what managers or engineers at an energy company actually do and what kind of work awaits them,” Malyar emphasised.
He described visits to companies and energy facilities as particularly valuable. The opportunity to see an energy site, meet its employees and observe actual working conditions gives young people a far more accurate understanding of the profession than a conventional information campaign.
Career guidance at the Institute of Power Engineering and Control Systems therefore focuses primarily on joint activities with employers. The university seeks to establish direct contact between school students, university students and the companies that may eventually employ them.
The creation of educational and research laboratories is another important area of cooperation with businesses. According to Malyar, new laboratories supported by partner companies are regularly opened at Lviv Polytechnic and are intended for more than classroom instruction.
Their equipment is also used by postgraduate students and researchers to conduct applied studies and practical experiments. Some of this work can be performed in university laboratories, while other elements can be carried out directly at energy or industrial facilities.
This model brings together education, research and the practical needs of businesses. Students gain access to modern equipment, lecturers and postgraduate researchers receive opportunities to conduct applied research, and companies benefit from potential technological solutions and better-prepared professionals.
Malyar’s remarks demonstrated that effective cooperation between businesses and universities should begin long before a graduate applies for their first job. It should encompass career guidance for school students, company participation in educational programmes, financial support for students, practical training, joint research and a clear transition from university to the workplace.
