After the start of full-scale war, the Ukrainian labour market experienced a serious imbalance. Sectors traditionally considered ‘male’ — construction, carpentry, transport — experienced an acute shortage of personnel. At the same time, an idea began to grow in society: why not involve women in professions that until recently were considered closed to them? This idea was taken up by civil society organisations, which created training programmes that opened up new opportunities for women. One such initiative was the School of Master Women, launched by the NGO Building Ukraine Together (BUR) with the support of the RAZOM Foundation and in partnership with the Lviv Professional College of Applied Arts and Design.
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New opportunities for women in construction
The School of Master Women is a programme that helps women gain professional knowledge and confidence in their abilities. Its goal is to open up access to the construction industry for women, dispel stereotypes about ‘male’ professions, and promote economic independence.
This year, 25 women from all over Ukraine took part in the training. Most of them are representatives of small communities, internally displaced persons, or those who lost their jobs due to the war. Over the course of a month, the participants learned carpentry, painting, project management, and budgeting, and took part in workshops and practical classes.
Stories of change
Programme participant Natalia says that she found out about the School of Craftswomen through a post on the BUR page and immediately applied.
“I joined through BUR. I heard last autumn that there would be a School of Craftswomen and just waited for it to start. I applied when I saw the post. I hope to become a master at BUR, but now I’m looking for an internship to gain experience, because I understand that I’m not quite a master yet,” she says.
During her studies, Natalia mastered carpentry skills. In addition, she sews soft toys and is already planning to set up her own workshop where she will make wooden toys.
Another participant, Maria, notes that participating in the programme was a timely decision for her.
“When I saw an email from BUR announcing the School of Craftswomen, I immediately realised that this was exactly what I needed right now. My painting skills will come in handy when renovating my home. We recently moved into a private house, which is a huge field for practice. I learned exactly what I need to know to make my home comfortable,” says Maria.
She adds that the carpentry skills she has acquired could be the start of a new career:
‘If everything works out, I intend to try my hand at furniture manufacturing. The basic skills I learned at college give me the confidence that I will succeed.’
Next steps
After completing their training, the participants underwent a four-day programme in BUR-Gory, where they tested their skills in real-life conditions. They are now receiving career counselling and preparing for paid internships.
The organisers note that such initiatives not only open up new opportunities for women, but also help communities overcome the consequences of war by creating a talent pool for Ukraine’s recovery.
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