Conjuncture of regional labour markets in Ukraine: the educational and qualification dimension
Abstract
The aim of the article is to assess the conjuncture of regional labour markets in Ukraine based on the analysis of the correspondence between the structure of labour demand and supply and the identification of spatial patterns of mismatch.
The article analyses the structure of labour demand and supply in terms of educational and qualification characteristics, examines the role of the educational pipeline in reproducing imbalances, and evaluates spatial differentiation of the labour market using the example of the largest cities in Ukraine. The analysis is based on a system of indicators, including the Structural Mismatch Index, the Regional Labour Market Tightness Index, and the Integrated Mismatch Index. The empirical base is formed through the integration of data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the State Employment Service, Work.ua analytics, as well as materials from international organizations and government documents.
The results show that labour demand is concentrated in applied, technical, and production-related competencies, while labour supply is largely formed by individuals with higher education. The calculated structural mismatch index indicates a stable but moderate imbalance. It is demonstrated that the educational and qualification mismatch has a reproductive nature and is reinforced by the inertia of the education system and the low willingness of the population to reskill. A pronounced spatial differentiation of the labour market is identified, and a typology of regional labour markets is proposed. It is established that a decrease in labour market tightness is associated with an increase in mismatch. The study concludes that the Ukrainian labour market operates under conditions of spatially and structurally differentiated skill shortages, requiring better alignment between the education system, employment policy, and regional recovery.
Downloads
References
Antoniuk, V. P., Pidorycheva, I. Yu., & Liashenko, V. I. (2024). Kadrove zabezpechennia ekonomiky Ukrainy v umovakh strukturnykh transformatsii [Human resources provision of the Ukrainian economy under structural transformations]. Ekonomika Ukrainy, (2), 3–17. http://economyukr.org.ua/ [in Ukrainian]
Baranyk, Z. P., & Kykosh, Yu. M. (2023). Rynok osvitnikh posluh i rynok pratsi: problemy vzaiemodii [Education services market and labour market: Problems of interaction]. Ekonomichnyi visnyk NTUU “KPI”, (20). https://ev.fmm.kpi.ua/article/view/45190 [in Ukrainian]
Blyzniuk, V. V., & Yuryk, Ya. I. (2019). Osvitno-kvalifikatsiini dysproportsii rehionalnoho rynku pratsi Ukrainy [Educational and qualification disparities of the regional labour market of Ukraine]. Ekonomika i prohnozuvannia, (2), 101–117. https://doi.org/10.15407/eip2019.02.101 [in Ukrainian]
Derzhavna sluzhba zainiatosti Ukrainy [State Employment Service of Ukraine]. Analityka ta statystyka rynku pratsi [Labour market analytics and statistics]. https://www.dcz.gov.ua/stat/stattrend [in Ukrainian]
Derzhavna sluzhba zainiatosti Ukrainy [State Employment Service of Ukraine]. (2025). Diialnist Derzhavnoi sluzhby zainiatosti: sichen–lystopad 2025 roku [Activities of the State Employment Service: January–November 2025]. https://www.dcz.gov.ua/loaddata/upload/trends/pdf/DCZ%2011M.pdf [in Ukrainian]
Derzhavna sluzhba statystyky Ukrainy [State Statistics Service of Ukraine]. (n.d.). Ofitsiinyi vebsait [Official website]. https://www.ukrstat.gov.ua [in Ukrainian]
Dumnov, O. (2024). Rehionalnyi rynok pratsi yak obiekt suspilno-heohrafichnoho doslidzhennia [Regional labour market as an object of socio-geographical research]. Chasopys sotsialno-ekonomichnoi heohrafii, (37), 142–150. https://doi.org/10.26565/2076-1333-2024-37-13 [in Ukrainian]
Illich, L. M. (2020). Osvitno-kvalifikatsiinyi dysbalans na rynku pratsi Ukrainy [Educational and qualification imbalance in the Ukrainian labour market]. Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University. https://elibrary.kubg.edu.ua/id/eprint/30553/ [in Ukrainian]
Kovtunets, V. V. (2021). Osvitni ta profesiini kvalifikatsii v konteksti potreb rynku pratsi [Educational and professional qualifications in the context of labour market needs]. Visnyk NAPN Ukrainy, (3). https://visnyk.naps.gov.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/316 [in Ukrainian]
Ministry of Economy of Ukraine. Prohrama relokatsii pidpryiemstv [Enterprise relocation program]. https://me.gov.ua [in Ukrainian]
National Bank of Ukraine. Makroekonomichna analityka [Macroeconomic analytics]. https://bank.gov.ua [in Ukrainian]
Palekhova, V. A. (2022). Osvita i rynok pratsi: problemy vidpovidnosti [Education and labour market: Problems of correspondence]. Ekonomika ta derzhava, (6), 45–50. https://ed.pdatu.edu.ua/article/view/237699 [in Ukrainian]
Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. (2026). Pro skhvalennia Stratehii zainiatosti naselennia Ukrainy na period do 2030 roku… [On approval of the Employment Strategy of Ukraine until 2030]. https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/main/92-2026-%D1%80 [in Ukrainian]
Sehida, K., & Dumnov, O. (2026). Koniunktura rehionalnoho rynku pratsi (keis Kharkivskoi oblasti) [Regional labour market conjuncture (case of Kharkiv Region)]. In Proceedings of the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Current Problems and Prospects for Regional Development” (pp. 219–226). [in Ukrainian]
Ustymenko, V. A., & Dzhabrailov, R. A. (2023). Pravovi zasoby podolannia dysbalansu mizh rynkom pratsi ta rynkom osvitnikh posluh [Legal means of overcoming the imbalance between the labour market and the education market]. Ekonomichne pravo, (3). https://nasu-periodicals.org.ua/index.php/economiclaw/article/view/5827 [in Ukrainian]
Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation. (2025). Labour market assessment 2024–2025: Business demand, challenges, strategy for impact. https://www.helvetas.org/Publications-PDFs/Eastern-Europe-Caucasus/Ukraine/Social%20Housing%20Reform%20in%20Ukraine/Labor%20Market%20Assessment%202024-2025%20Business%20Demand,%20Challenges,%20Strategy%20For%20Impact-UA.pdf [in Ukrainian]
Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation. (2025). Registered unemployment in Ukraine: Needs, features, assessments. https://www.helvetas.org/Publications-PDFs/Eastern-Europe-Caucasus/Ukraine/Social%20Housing%20Reform%20in%20Ukraine/Registered%20unemployment%20in%20Ukraine%20needs,%20features,%20assessments-UA.pdf [in Ukrainian]
Work.ua. (n.d.). Labour market analytics in Ukraine: Dynamics of vacancies, competition and demand structure. https://www.work.ua/articles/analytics/3547/ [in Ukrainian]
Work.ua. Labour market statistics. https://www.work.ua/stat/ [in Ukrainian]
World Bank. (2025). Listening to Ukraine: Monitoring living conditions. https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/7a038d8198d79e7979898da40195c73b-0080012025/original/Listening-to-Ukraine-Update-Fall-2025.pdf [in English]
World Bank. (2026). Updated Ukraine recovery and reconstruction needs assessment (RDNA5). https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2026/02/23/updated-ukraine-recovery-and-reconstruction-needs-assessment-released [in English]
World Bank. (2026). Who will deliver recovery? A lesson from Ukraine on jobs, skills, and the missing link. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2026/04/09/who-will-deliver-recovery-a-lesson-from-ukraine-on-jobs-skills-and-the-missing-link [in English]
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
