Qualifications gap in the ecosystem of education and labor market of Ukraine

The article deals with issues related to the analysis and consideration of strategies for overcoming the qualification gap in the education ecosystem and the labor market of Ukraine. During the research, it was established that the labor market as of 2024 has formed the following trends: reduction of official unemployment; there is a shortage of qualified labor against the background of an increase in the number of vacancies; the involvement of a greater number of representatives of vulnerable groups in the labor market (pre-retirement and retirement age, young people without work experience, internally displaced persons, veterans and demobilized military personnel), insufficient quality of training of graduates of higher education institutions when entering the labor market, and increased demand for vocational education. The results of the needs of the business in the workforce were considered based on an analytical review of web resources, an analysis of the professional structure of vacancies was carried out, confirming the importance of training specialists with modern qualification skills for the labor market. Labor market requests for specialty 011 Educational, pedagogical sciences were analyzed. The need for quick response of modern institutions of higher education to overcome the qualification gap has been proved. The importance of higher education in ensuring that the skills of employees meet the requirements of the labor market is substantiated. On the basis of theoretical analysis and empirical research, the authors found that the qualification gap is at the intersection of labor supply and demand, and this aspect can be overcome by the purposeful and coordinated cooperation of higher education institutions that provide professional training of specialists and employers who need highly qualified employees. Strategies that can be used in the ecosystem of higher education to reduce the qualification gap and increase the competitiveness of employees in the labor market have been studied. The trends that are important for overcoming the identified qualification gaps in the conditions of the war economy and prospects for post-war reconstruction are analyzed. Based on the analysis, recommendations are given for improving the higher education system and its interaction with employers to ensure the compliance of educational programs with the needs of the labor market and to overcome the qualification gap