Second Training in Lviv: Five New VET Providers Worked Through the Inclusive Learner Pathway

The country’s recovery also has its own pathway — from the demand for skilled professionals to concrete competences and jobs. In vocational education and training (VET), this pathway begins with the individual: admission → needs assessment → adaptations → practical training → preparation for employment.

On 23–27 February 2026, Lviv hosted the second of the four planned trainings titled “Equal Access to Vocational Education: Inclusive Learning in VET Institutions.” The event was organised by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine (NAPD) in cooperation with Christoffel-Blindenmission Christian Blind Mission e.V. (CBM). The training is delivered within the project “Inclusive Vocational Education and Training: Improving Training for Veterans and People with Disabilities.” In total, the project involves 18 pilot VET providers.

Opening Remarks from the Partners

Tetiana Dovbush, Programme Advisor for the implementation of Skills4Recovery at GIZ Ukraine, addressed participants in her opening remarks. She emphasised that recovery is impossible without well-prepared professionals, and that vocational education must provide real career prospects for those returning to civilian life, relocating due to the war, or in need of accessible learning opportunities.

“Skills4Recovery supports the development of vocational education as a key resource for recovery. We want institutions to be ready to train and support diverse learners — including veterans, persons with disabilities, and internally displaced persons — and to guide them along the full pathway to employment,” noted Tetiana Dovbush.

Julia Schönborn, CBM Project Manager in Ukraine, highlighted that CBM has many years of experience promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities worldwide. For Ukraine, this training is particularly important now when veterans are returning to civilian life and seeking new professional opportunities.

“Do not be afraid to ask questions and speak openly about areas where you lack confidence. Learning inclusion is a process, and open, honest dialogue is essential,” she emphasised.

Svitlana Petrusha, Project Coordinator at NAPD, outlined the practical focus of the training series: to help institutions move from intentions to concrete solutions — how to organise barrier-free admission processes, identify needs, plan support and adaptations, ensure safe practical training, and prepare for employment.

Who Joined: Five New Institutions

This training brought together teams from five VET providers:

• • Hlyboka Vocational Lyceum
• • Municipal Institution “Vinnytsia Vocational College of Digital Technologies and Entrepreneurship” of Vinnytsia Regional Council
• • State Vocational Education Institution “Dnipro Centre for Vocational Education and Training”
• • State Educational Institution “Odesa Centre for Vocational Education and Training”
• • Kharkiv Centre for Vocational Education and Training of the State Employment Service

How the Training Was Structured: Two Modules — One Institutional Standard

The training was designed so that inclusive approaches would function as a unified institutional standard — both in management and in teaching and learning practice:

• • First two days: management teams (leadership and administrators) — rules, procedures, and organisation of processes;
• • Following three days: pedagogical teams (teachers and masters of industrial training) — practical tools for learner support during studies, workplace practice, and preparation for employment.

What Was Addressed: Key Topics Covered

The programme was practice-oriented, combining exercises, group work, and case analysis. Participants worked through:

• • the contemporary approach to disability: barriers, stereotypes, and the role of language and interaction;
• • universal design, accessibility, and reasonable accommodation;
• • planning support through teamwork and cooperation with community resources;
• • self-assessment of VET inclusiveness as a quality management tool;
• • practical workshops on adaptations and modelling the “learner pathway” in real-life scenarios.

By the end of the training, each institutional team identified priority steps that can be launched immediately: updating admission and communication procedures, introducing mechanisms for documenting learner needs, refining approaches to adaptations in learning and practical training, and clarifying internal team roles.

Participants noted that the training provided a clear understanding of inclusion as a structured process with defined steps and practical solutions that can be implemented without delay. They also stressed that the focus extended beyond tools to fostering a culture of respect and support within institutions.

“For me, the training became a rethinking of daily teaching practice. We talked not only about rights and opportunities, but also about the dignity of every individual. It reminded us that inclusion is not about separate students — it is about institutional culture, respect, and support. I returned to my team convinced that change begins with us,” shared a female participant.

What is Next

The training series continues, with two further sessions planned for other pilot VET providers to scale the approach across different regions. The next article will present brief profiles of the five institutions — what challenges they brought to Lviv and the solutions they are ready to implement first.

The project “Inclusive Vocational Education and Training (VET): Improving Training for Veterans and People with Disabilities” is being implemented by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine (NAPD), jointly with Christoffel-Blindenmission Christian Blind Mission e.V. (CBM), with financial support from the European Union, Germany, Poland, Estonia, and Denmark as part of the Skills4Recovery Multi-Donor Initiative, which is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL).