Business and universities: how to train specialists for Ukraine's energy sector together

Participants: managers and experts of Energy Club member companies, rectors and representatives of higher education institutions, educational and industry experts

Energy Club will hold a professional online meeting dedicated to the development of cooperation between the energy business and higher education institutions.

Ukrainian energy is simultaneously undergoing restoration of damaged infrastructure, technological transformation and integration into the European energy space. The industry already needs engineers and technical specialists capable of working with modern generation systems, electrical networks, energy storage, cogeneration plants, automation and digital technologies.

At the same time, companies are increasingly faced with a shortage of qualified personnel and a gap between academic training and the practical requirements of real energy projects.

Energy Club member companies are already developing various formats of interaction with universities: they create training laboratories, transfer modern equipment, participate in the development of educational programs, conduct practical training, support students and teachers, organize internships and create opportunities for further employment.

A separate area of ​​such cooperation may be professional training and retraining of veterans, internally displaced persons, Ukrainians planning to return from abroad, as well as specialists from other industries who are ready to master the in-demand energy professions.

During the meeting, representatives of business and universities will be able to present their own experience, identify the main personnel and educational needs of the industry and discuss practical models of long-term partnership.

The purpose of the meeting is to move from individual initiatives to systemic cooperation that will help universities update educational programs, companies train the necessary specialists, and students and trainees gain practical knowledge and a clear path to employment.

Questions for discussion

• What specialists and competencies will the Ukrainian energy sector need most in the next three to five years?
• What formats of cooperation between business and universities are the most effective: joint educational programs, laboratories, practical courses, internships, dual education, scholarships or involving company experts in teaching?
• How to reduce the gap between students’ academic training and the knowledge and skills necessary to work at modern energy facilities?
• How to create effective educational and career programs for students, veterans, internally displaced persons and Ukrainians planning to return from abroad?
• From what sources can joint projects between business and universities be financed and scaled up: contributions from companies, government programs, international technical assistance, grants or partner consortia?
• What joint practical steps can be taken companies, universities and Energy Club after the meeting to launch new educational projects and long-term partnerships?

Moderator

Andriy Kulykov

journalist, TV and radio host, media expert

Speaker

Alexander Suslov

CEO of "SPE "Volten" LLC

Bogdan Sukhetsky

Acting Director General of PJSC Ukrhydroenergo

Vitalii Nykolaienko

CEO of Voltage Group

Oleksandr Aziukovskyi

Ukrainian scientist, rector of the National Technical University "Dnipro Polytechnic", associate professor

Igor Chudyk

Rector of the Ivano-Frankivsk National University of Oil and Gas

Volodymyr Onyshchenko

Chairman of Academic Board, First Vice-Rector of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”

Iryna Dmytrotsa

Advisor to the President of Energy Clubб Expert in energy project development and business planning, Head of Operational and Regulatory Policy at Ukrainian Distribution Grids JSC (April 2024 - November 2025)