Ukraine needs people who can install solar power plants quickly and to high-quality standards — this is a real opportunity for adults who want to retrain. The article explains how solar power plant installers are trained at the Odesa Vocational Education Center of the State Employment Service, why the dual training model is effective, and how retraining can be accessed through regional employment centers.
At the Odesa Vocational Education Center of the State Employment Service, they train those who quite literally “assemble light.”
“Our center is a large complex consisting of three buildings: an administrative block, laboratories, classrooms, and a dormitory. We started with 12 professions, and today we already offer 37 licensed occupations,” says Nataliia Drumova, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs. “We operate within the Ministry of Education system, but we constantly adapt to the needs of employers and the State Employment Service. That’s why we are continuously transforming.”
Oleksandr Khubetov, Senior Instructor; Nataliia Drumova, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs; Olena Fedorenko, Lead Manager at the RePower Ukraine Charitable Foundation
This place truly lives in the rhythm of change. Over the past few years, new specialties have been introduced here — from pastry chef to nail technician. However, the team’s greatest pride lies in its technical programs, among which one of the newest and most in-demand is solar power plant installation.
“The idea to train specialists in solar plant installation did not emerge by chance. We saw that the country is moving toward renewable energy. That means we need people who can do more than just read instructions — they must be able to actually install a system, check the tilt angle, connect controllers…,” explains Senior Instructor Oleksandr Khubetov.
To support this, the training center has set up a dedicated practice site where students work through every stage — from assembling metal structures to configuring inverters. The training is designed to closely reflect real working conditions, allowing graduates to enter the workforce immediately.
“We prepare not only technically skilled professionals, but also conscious workers who understand that they are creating something important for the future. Solar energy is about independence, environmental responsibility, and a new culture of work,” Khubetov adds.
A key feature of this training center is its flexibility. People from all over Ukraine can study here, including those who decide to change their profession later in life. “We even have trainees coming from other regions,” says Nataliia Drumova. “Sometimes people in Odesa itself know less about us than those in, say, Donetsk or Poltava regions. But those who are looking for opportunities eventually find us.”
The center operates under a dual education model: students spend part of their time at the training center and part directly within companies, where they gain hands-on experience. Employers often come here themselves in search of future employees.
“We understand that today’s labor market is changing rapidly. If in the past a person could work at one enterprise for 20 years, now one must be ready to learn throughout life,” Drumova notes.
What Does Fast Retraining Look Like?
How Long Does the Training Last?
The duration depends on the program: within the State Employment Service system, there are both short-term courses (lasting from several dozen hours) and longer programs with a strong practical component. The exact timeframe for the “solar power plant installer” program should be clarified at the time of enrollment, as curricula are regularly updated to meet employers’ needs.
How to Retrain Through Regional Employment Centers
- Contact your nearest Employment Center and discuss your goal with a career advisor — retraining for a technical specialty, such as solar power plant installation.
- Choose a program and an accredited institution (State Employment Service training centers or other licensed providers).
- Arrange funding: either training through a referral from the Employment Service (for registered job seekers) or a voucher available for certain categories of citizens.
What Does the Program Cover?
A voucher covers the cost of training up to a set limit (if the training is more expensive, the difference is paid by the individual or employer). It is also important to clarify in advance whether the program includes practical sessions on a construction site or equipment, a final assessment, and the possibility to certify your qualification at a qualification center.
Today, the educational center trains specialists not only for Odesa region but for all of Ukraine. Students come from every corner of the country, including both young people and adults seeking to retrain. “Our graduates work both in Ukraine and abroad. We even have contacts with German partners who were impressed by the organization of the training process. They said, ‘Germans should be brought here to see how it’s done,’” smiles Nataliia Drumova.
The center also operates a Qualification Center, where participants can not only complete training but also officially certify their skills. This is especially important for those who want to work according to international standards.
Oleksandr Khubetov, Senior Instructor, Odesa Vocational Education Center of State Employment Service
Despite being part of the state system, the center doesn’t feel bureaucratic; its atmosphere is lively, creative, and human. “Our instructors don’t just give knowledge, they share a part of themselves,” says Oleksandr Khubetov. “We don’t train ‘robots’; we shape true craftsmen.”
Alongside the state training system, initiatives are emerging in Ukraine to accelerate adults’ entry into the solar energy sector and provide additional pathways to employment. One such player is the RePower Ukraine foundation, which offers free educational programs focused on practical solar energy skills.
In this context, RePower Ukraine plays a complementary role: the foundation broadens access for those who can quickly learn the profession (including veterans and internally displaced persons), strengthens the practical component of training, and aligns educational programs with actual labor market needs. Together, state tools (training via vouchers, qualification centers) and partnership-charity programs help address the workforce shortage in green energy — where demand is measured not in words, but in installed kilowatts.
After running its own solar energy programs — from “Solar Start” with certificate issuance to “Solar ReStart 2024” and “Solar ReStart 2025” — the foundation is moving from small-group training to scaling up through a new collaborative model: business — State Employment Service — educational institutions.
In this model:
- Employers define the skills needed on the market and receive trained specialists faster;
- The Employment Service supports adult retraining financially and organizationally;
- Educational institutions gain a stable stream of adult learners and resources to update their facilities and support instructors.
This, according to RePower Ukraine, is the logic of cooperation for training solar power plant installers and facilitating employment.
Nataliia Drumova believes it is time to restore dignity to skilled trades in Ukraine.
“We often talk about IT, management, media,” she says, “but without electricians, installers, welders, or builders, no development is possible. These are the people who create real things. And now, when it comes to the country’s energy independence, solar panel installers are becoming key.”
Her words are simple but profound. While politicians debate “green energy,” at this center, young people are learning to install the very solar panels that will power schools, hospitals, and homes across Ukraine.
Ivan Orlovskyi, Instructor Specialist; Nataliia Drumova, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs; Olena Fedorenko, Lead Manager at the RePower Ukraine Charitable Foundation; Oleksandr Khubetov, Senior Instructor, Odesa Vocational Education Center, State Employment Service
Some dream of changing the world with words, while others run the wires and channel the sun into a battery.
At the Odesa Vocational Education Center, these people are trained every day — and perhaps it is they who are building a future full of light.
