Helping to rebuild the country – how Iryna is training for change

Iryna Ishchenko, 25, lives in Kyiv. She is a participant in the ‘Training for Change’ project implemented by the Ukrainian Professional Development NGO as part of the EU-funded Vocational Education in Ukraine / Skills4Recovery programme.

She studied to become an installer of building insulation systems and plasterboard structures at the Kyiv Vocational College of Construction and Municipal Utilities.

Iryna is originally from the Sumy region. After graduating from university, she worked in customs logistics for four years, but then felt the need to do more for herself. She wanted to get a completely new education, and successfully completed a one-year training course at the European School of Design. 

Soon she started receiving private orders for interior design. However, while working, she realised that she lacked technical knowledge.

And here the news about the course for installers in the ‘Training for Change’ project came in handy.

“Building and equipping homes is a big responsibility. I want to talk to installers on an equal footing, I want to be independent in making decisions about creating a design with different types of interior partitions, to know and understand all the features of installing drywall structures. That’s why when my husband suggested that we both go to the training as part of the Training for Change project, I immediately agreed.”

Ira is the only girl in the study group, but this only motivates her. She was able to overcome all the stereotypes of a “profession for men” when she was a student, as less than 10% of girls studied at her university. “Today’s conditions are further changing the role of women in the labour market. While a significant number of men are defending the country, women must (and can) become effective professionals in the labour sectors to help rebuild the country. And thanks to the project, I already know how to help people rebuild destroyed housing.”

Iryna is pleased with the dynamism of the learning process. For her, this is an opportunity to get useful information that can be used immediately in practice: “I am already designing the placement of plasterboard structures more competently. I am more and more ready for the teachers’ comments, because I know exactly how to mount the structures to achieve my goals.”

Currently, Iryna most often works on projects from cities such as Bucha, Gostomel, and Irpin. It is there that housing is being actively restored. These are the premises where repairs were stopped after February 2022, or those that were directly affected by the hostilities and are now being rebuilt.

Ira is motivated to learn new things to make her projects even better and safer:

“Construction and interior design are important for the country. After the full-scale invasion, Ukrainians began to perceive their homes differently. Now it is not just a functional space. It is a place of strength. It is a place where everything is for you and about you.”