30.12.2025
In times of full-scale war, the Ukrainian energy sector has become a true frontline, where the industry’s resilience is defined primarily by its people. It is women in energy who are increasingly shouldering responsibility, holding teams together, making difficult decisions, and driving projects forward under the most challenging conditions.
EDS invests in people, creating real opportunities for women — from training and mentorship to leadership roles in key projects for the country’s recovery.
In wartime, the role of HR in industrial and energy companies has changed radically. Today, HR is no longer just about personnel management. It is a pillar of support for the team, an internal coordinator of resilience, and a person who helps preserve the most valuable asset — people, their motivation, and their ability to work despite constant stress.
Iryna Tsurkan, HRD of the EDS Engineering and Investment Group, spoke about this transformation during a panel discussion at the Energy Club forum “THE ENERGY OF WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP: Women Holding Ukraine’s Energy Frontline,” held on December 10 in Kyiv.
Over the years, Iryna has observed the changing labor market — from periods of economic growth and the COVID-19 pandemic to the full-scale war.
“Today, HR has truly become a combat psychologist. People live in constant stress — regardless of their position or location. It is impossible to ‘turn it off’ or put it on pause,” she emphasized.
In such conditions, the task of HR is not to “cure” stress, but to create an environment in which people can function, maintain efficiency, and preserve psychological balance.
EDS is an engineering and investment group with 15 years of experience, uniting engineering, investments, and energy into a single system. The Group transforms the challenges of Ukraine’s energy sector into opportunities for sustainable development: it has implemented over 3,500 projects in traditional and alternative energy, designed over 1 GW of solar power plants, and holds a portfolio of its own capacities exceeding 30 MW.
Today, the Group employs over 500 specialists, about 30% of whom are women. They are involved in key projects at all levels — from manufacturing and industrial design to management and strategic planning.
In the conditions of war, the role of women in the energy sector has become critical due to personnel shortages, the mobilization of men, the outflow of young specialists abroad, and the impossibility of postponing energy projects.
“Key qualities of women are stability, responsibility, analytical skills, and precision. They know how to form teams, maintain a healthy psychological climate, and achieve results without unnecessary harshness,” emphasized Iryna Tsurkan.
EDS has a system of horizontal and vertical career development, internal training and mentorship programs, prompt decisions regarding promotions and transfers, as well as flexible work formats — remote and hybrid. This allows the company to attract female students, young mothers, and female specialists currently abroad, keeping them actively involved in joint projects.
The company actively cooperates with technical educational institutions: it forms specialized training programs, organizes internships at real facilities — solar power plants, substations, production sites — and creates its own R&D centers.
“To see, to touch, to understand the scale — this is the key to realizing the value of working in energy,” noted the HRD of EDS.
According to Iryna Tsurkan, this year alone, 80 people completed internships at the EDS Engineering and Investment Group, 50 of whom were integrated into the team.
90% of female graduates stay to work at the company, and 10% are already managing projects after their first year of work.
The future of energy is impossible without systemic mentorship, flexible work formats, a combination of theory and practice, competitive salaries, and constant investment in talent development.
“Energy is no longer about a ‘men’s profession.’ It is about responsibility, strategic thinking, and trust. And women are playing an increasingly important role in this,” concluded Iryna Tsurkan.
It is trust in people, support for their growth, and openness to change that form the new energy of Ukraine — resilient, modern, and capable of rebuilding the country even in the most difficult times.
