WARSAW — Upwardly Global, the Information Society Development Foundation (FRSI), the Ukrainian House, and a coalition of partners are teaming up to support the economic resilience of 1,000 displaced Ukrainian women in Poland with job coaching, job readiness, language, and technical skills training, and wrap-around services such as childcare. Over an 18-month period, the coalition will help place 500 Ukrainian refugees into skill-aligned jobs and work to offer reskilling and upskilling opportunities for at least 200.
The conflict in Ukraine has displaced close to seven million individuals — largely women and children — to neighboring countries, with the largest number in Poland. Many are separated from their families and are navigating significant economic uncertainty. Over 70% of Ukrainian women have advanced degrees (many in STEM fields) and over 80% are looking for work. This group is poised to become a valuable asset to the Polish workforce, their families, and the future reconstruction of Ukraine.
“We know that job-readiness training is essential, and we are working on ways to provide this with partners to meet job seekers where they are at. Together, we will provide opportunities for these women to take jobs that are aligned with their skills and experience,” said Upwardly Global President and CEO Jina Krause-Vilmar.
Upwardly Global will leverage its expertise quickly in both Europe and the U.S. to support displaced Ukrainian professionals, connecting job seekers to in-demand employment opportunities with top employers. The timing of the initiative is crucial at this point in the war, with more refugees likely to cross the border in the coming months.
Public support in Poland for Ukraine is strong — the coalition mobilized over a dozen multinational employers who have stood up to hire and train Ukrainian refugees. Together, companies aim to share lessons learned, test innovation, and define new models of refugee inclusion through a brand new employer working group in Poland. In addition, the initiative will leverage cutting-edge technology and e-learning resources to help scale the work rapidly.
This program has been designed with sustainability in mind. Beyond the 1,000 Ukrainian newcomers reached over the 18-month grant period, this initiative will invest in and enable the infrastructure to support thousands more in the years to come. Upwardly Global will codesign and sustain operations with employers and partners in Poland, developing a longer-term roadmap that will offer continued support for additional job seekers with a particular focus on women.
To date, Upwardly Global has supported hundreds of Ukrainian job seekers in securing professional employment in the U.S. The organization has Ukrainians on staff, among active alumni, and in its volunteer and corporate partner pool.
In the U.S., Upwardly Global continues to serve a large population of Ukrainian professionals through its direct service program, and will be launching a job-readiness portal in the coming weeks with free career-readiness resources specifically curated for the Ukrainian community.
For more information about Upwardly Global’s new workforce inclusion initiative in Poland, please contact karolina@upwardlyglobal.org.
###
About Upwardly Global
Upwardly Global is a U.S.-based nonprofit focused on eliminating employment barriers for immigrant and refugee professionals and advancing the inclusion of their skills into the economy. Learn more at upwardlyglobal.org.