competencies, labour market, imbalances, university graduates, skills gap, regional specificities, alignment strategy
Abstract
The modern Ukrainian labour market is characterised by growing disproportions between labour demand and supply, which manifest themselves in both quantitative and qualitative dimensions. On the one hand, there is a persistent oversupply of graduates in traditional fields such as economics, law and pedagogy, many of whom remain underemployed or employed outside their profession. On the other hand, the demand for specialists in the digital economy, social services and technologically advanced industries significantly exceeds supply. This article explores the main drivers of these imbalances, including the impact of the war, accelerating digitalisation and structural economic transformations, and analyses their consequences for the employability of university graduates. Particular emphasis is placed on the phenomenon of the “skills gap” – the discrepancy between the competencies acquired during formal education and the skills required by employers. Using academic sources, labour statistics and regional research, the paper demonstrates that the largest shortages are expected in the IT sector (with a projected deficit of up to 250,000 specialists by 2030), as well as in social work, education and high-tech industry. The analysis also reveals considerable regional variations: industrial regions face oversupply in traditional professions, while service-oriented urban centres experience an acute lack of digital and managerial competencies. To address these challenges, the article proposes the use of regional workforce planning and skills anticipation mechanisms, which are actively applied in the EU and OECD countries. International evidence shows that effective strategies include the integration of qualification frameworks with labour market needs, the implementation of dual education models, systematic revision of educational programmes, and the institutionalisation of national skills observatories. The findings suggest that bridging the skills gap in Ukraine requires a comprehensive approach that combines policy coordination, business–university partnerships, and the promotion of lifelong learning. Such measures will not only improve the balance between education and labour market needs but also strengthen the competitiveness of Ukrainian graduates in the global knowledge economy.
