February 17, 2017, Recent Graduate’s Day was held under International Exhibitions Grain Technologies 2017, Agro Animal Show 2017 and Fruit. Vegetables. Logistics 2017. It was titled Your Professional Start and included two parallel events – Employment School and Interview Marathon.

A greater share of visitors included recent agricultural graduates and undergraduate students from universities, colleges and technical schools coming from different parts of Ukraine. The young and smart had opportunity to learn about existing vacancies, get acquainted with potential employers and got a chance to find a job in their degree field. Leading agricultural Ukrainian companies took part in interview marathon – Myronivsky Hliboproduct PJSC, Cygnet Holding LLC, Svarog West Group Corp., Empire Agro LLC and State Employment Service of Ukraine.

Everyone interested could leave their CV or fill in application questionnaires. Delegation participants accompanied by sponsor delegates visited exhibition display, learned about achievements in world and national equipment, seed industry and agrochemistry, as well as had a talk with representatives of dominant agricompanies.

During Employment School, visitors listened to top managers of forward agricultural companies, Rabota.ua Recruiting Portal and a lecture titled “Future of IT profession in agricultural field”.

“We have been arranging such kind of events since last year. Today, we work within a new frame. Students can attend lectures of leading specialists and visit organized guided-tours through display halls to ask what advantages this or that piece of machinery possesses. Furthermore, interview marathon has become a tradition where everyone who feels like can find a place for practical training, internship or work,” Olena Kovtun shared, Deputy General Director of Ukrainian Agribusiness Club on Cooperation with Agricultural Universities and Educational Institutions.

Tetiana Ischenko, Director of Agroosvita Science and Methodology Center, said that event was aimed at finding a common link between business companies and educational institutions. “We do everything possible to correct one significant error. Teachers state that business doesn’t help us; while business claims that science does not train the specialist they need. To solve the conflict, we want you to have a practical training or internship in good companies with a prospect to get employed there in future. As a result, we would like you to get a decent salary and become experts. Difference between Ukrainian and European colleges is that here teachers teach, and there students learn. That is why it is so important for you to feel thirsty for studying, getting new knowledge and self-development. At present, we offer you to attend the exhibition and see latest achievements in agricultural area as well as learn how to present yourselves at an interview marathon,” Tetiana Ischenko noted.

Olga Diadechko, HR Director of Cygnet Co., shared with visitors on possibilities of cooperation between large companies and students, “Lately, employers note insufficient qualification of employees. I would like to tell you two key things one should often pay attention to when searching a base for practical training. Firstly, pay attention to a company and its equipment (machinery and technology). Secondly, focus on employer’s brand. You should analyze whether a company invests into improving qualification of its employees, what social package and operation conditions it offers.”

Sergiy Kravchenko, Deputy Head of State Employment Service of Ukraine, also attended the event. He believes future depends on agriculture these days, “Three areas are still in trend – medicine, IT and agriculture. Agricultural specialists are one of the most demanded on job market. I recommend students to get professional skills while on practical training. Neither an angriscientist, nor a veterinarian can be replaced on a farm, and that is why demand on the specialty will always be.”

Dmytro Pashian, a second-year student of National University of Bioresources and Environmental Management of Ukraine, shared whey he attended the event, “My friend and me decided to come here on our own. I am an agriscientist by occupation but I am already eager to get practical skills. We have already learned some basic theoretical knowledge, and now I am trying to expand my idea of my future profession. We have been offered a summer practical training or temporarily leave studying for 2-3 month for practical training. We would like to see the situation on the market, what they offer us and how well we fit for employers.”

Note. Recent Graduate’s Day was sponsored by Association “Ukrainian Agribusiness Club”, Kiev International Contract Fair and Agroosvita Science and Methodology Center.