On 18 December 2020, Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University hosted the official graduation ceremony for reserve military personnel, ATO/JFO participants and members of their families who completed the course “Organisation of One’s Own Business” within the project “Norway–Ukraine. Professional Adaptation. Integration into the State System” (NUPASS).
The project was implemented at Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University together with the NGO “Center for Conversion and Professional Adaptation” (CCPA) and became an important step in developing a regional model of professional readaptation for former military personnel and their families.
The “Norway–Ukraine” project at Zhytomyr Polytechnic emerged as a result of scientific research on the topic “Transformation of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Conditions of Hybrid War,” conducted during 2017–2020. On 11 September 2020, Zhytomyr Polytechnic signed an agreement with the International Foundation for Social Adaptation, enabling the university to join the “Norway–Ukraine” project.
The project represents cooperation in the educational and scientific field between Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University and NORD University in Bodø, Norway. Its core mission is to support the professional adaptation of former military personnel and members of their families, helping them build new professional and entrepreneurial pathways in civilian life.
The graduates were welcomed by Oksana Oliinyk, First Vice-Rector of Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University; Volodymyr Lahuta, Head of the Council of Veterans of Ukraine under the Ministry for Veterans Affairs; Olha Yurchenko, Director of the Zhytomyr City Centre of Social Services; Yuliia Tolmachova, Coordinator of the “Veteran House” Civic Union; Iryna Zhyhlei, responsible for organising the educational process under the project at Zhytomyr Polytechnic; and Halyna Tarasiuk, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Service, whose lecturers delivered the training programme.
On behalf of the graduates, Oleksandr Yavtushenko and Oleksandr Rudnytskyi addressed the participants and guests of the ceremony. They also presented the university with a commemorative gift dedicated to the first graduates of the “Norway–Ukraine” project at Zhytomyr Polytechnic.
At that time, 18 educational institutions in Ukraine were participating in the project. In Zhytomyr region, the project was represented by Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University.
The course was delivered by leading university lecturers, successful entrepreneurs and business professionals. Participants gained knowledge in business organisation, legal support, taxation, customs procedures, lending and other practical areas needed to develop and manage their own businesses.
A total of 39 people applied to participate in the programme, and 32 participants were enrolled. During the graduation ceremony, 29 participants received documents confirming completion of the course.
From September to December 2020, the participants completed 500 academic hours of training in the following areas:
Creating business models in small business and social responsibility;
Business planning and legal foundations of entrepreneurship;
Information technologies in business management and modern sales technologies;
Online business representation and IoT technologies;
Sources of business financing and electronic money;
Human resources and financial policy;
Basics of accounting and tax calculations;
Financial reporting, analysis and audit;
Basics of logistics;
Management of private land plots;
Business foreign language;
Business project management and analytical support.
Among the graduates were 24 ATO/JFO participants, including one woman. The group also included women who were family members of ATO/JFO participants, including discharged service members, as well as four married couples.
The festive atmosphere of the ceremony was supported by the university vocal ensemble “Akord.” CCPA thanks the members of the ensemble and its leader, Liubov Holub, for creating a warm and memorable moment for the graduates.
For CCPA, the first graduation of the NUPASS project at Zhytomyr Polytechnic was not only the completion of an educational course. It was also an important intermediate stage on the path from forming a business idea to its practical implementation.
The university administration, lecturers and project team expressed their readiness to continue supporting graduates so that their business ideas could be developed and successfully implemented.
CCPA thanks all partners and members of the project team who remained in constant contact with participants and supported them throughout the programme.
The continuation of the “Norway–Ukraine” project at Zhytomyr Polytechnic was clearly confirmed: this was the first graduation of the project at the university, but it laid the foundation for long-term work in professional adaptation, entrepreneurship education and support for veterans and their families.
