The state should support the return of veterans to industrial regions – Metinvest

Businesses, including metallurgy, have also been hit hard by the outflow of young people abroad

The reconstruction of Ukraine will begin with industry, so the state must cooperate with businesses to enable veterans and displaced persons to work and live in industrial regions. This was stated by Tetiana Petruk, Director of Sustainable Development and Personnel Relations at Metinvest Group, during the “Dialogues with NV. Business and the New Reality” event.

According to her, all sectors of the economy are experiencing problems with attracting personnel. In particular, Metinvest currently has about 4,000 vacancies.

Tetyana Petruk noted that in September, the company was able to break the trend for the first time – staff turnover was lower than recruitment. However, it is impossible to find qualified specialists on the market, so the group accepts all applicants, relies on its own resources, and retrains its personnel.

The company has audited all professional programs, shortened their duration, and provides training directly in the workplace. In addition, Metinvest uses all possible channels to attract employees, including war veterans, and is ready to train them at its own expense, provide housing, and ensure decent wages.

“At the same time, business cannot completely replace the state – a joint support program and cost sharing are needed,” noted Tetiana Petruk.

Given that Metinvest’s enterprises are located near the front line, the company has created an ecosystem for attracting veterans by conducting surveys and identifying their real needs. In addition, former military personnel and anyone else who is interested have the opportunity to learn a new profession at Metinvest Polytechnic University.

Since the start of the full-scale war, the situation regarding the recruitment of women to certain positions in the mining and metallurgical complex, which were previously considered “male,” has also changed. Today, women make up 30% of Metinvest’s workforce: they work as crane operators, electricians, and even on dump trucks in quarries.

Metinvest’s Director of Sustainable Development and Personnel Relations also commented on the impact of the decision to allow men to travel abroad. In September, 217 men aged 18–22 left the company.

«The number of such resignations has increased fivefold, so all our efforts to cooperate with vocational schools, provide career guidance, and create the First Job and Young Specialist programs have been virtually nullified. This has had a painful impact on business, especially in the metallurgical industry, where men traditionally work,» she explained.

Among other tools for attracting young people is a program to bring back Ukrainian students studying abroad, particularly in the UK.

“This year, for the first time in Ukraine, we organized such an internship for students: we conducted career guidance and showed them how companies in the UK work. The students are doing internships at our European and Ukrainian assets. The main thing now is to bring young people back, because after the war, there will be many jobs in Ukraine,” said Tetiana Petruk.

Serhiy Skorbun, Head of External Projects Coordination at Metinvest Group, reminded that one employee in the steel industry creates about eight jobs in related industries, from transport and energy to services. For the mining industry, this ratio is 1:4. Therefore, large export companies need systematic support from the state.