One of Ukraine’s most prominent industrial companies, Metinvest Group has not only maintained its position as a leader in the mining and metals sector, but also systematically invests in human capital development. For more than 15 years, the Group has been building a modern educational model, forming a reserve of qualified personnel and preparing employees for the challenges associated with industrial transformation. In terms of scale and consistency of approach, Metinvest ranks first among private investors in education in Ukraine. The article by delo.ua explores why the Group has become a leader in human capital development.
Professional growth through internal programmes
Metinvest actively invests in staff development, providing systematic retraining, advanced training and internal training. Employees have the opportunity to master new blue-collar specialisations directly at enterprises: over 85% of programmes are delivered in a production environment, which enhances the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition.
In 2024, more than 15,500 employees underwent professional training, and a further 33,100 completed occupational safety courses. An additional 3,300 people received basic pedagogical training. Corporate educational programmes are constantly updated, involving internal experts and using modern digital formats, webinars and regular communication.
Education as a strategic investment
Metinvest Polytechnic, Ukraine’s first private mining and metals university, deserves particular attention. Since its establishment in 2020, over UAH513 million has been invested in the project.
Metinvest Polytechnic is a unique educational institution that responds to the current challenges of both industry and society. In 2025, the university launched a new admissions campaign, offering 19 bachelor’s, 20 master’s and five postgraduate programmes. Fields of study include metallurgy, mining, computer science, materials science, automation, environmental protection, equipment engineering, welding, occupational safety, business analytics and more. All programmes are designed taking into account real production needs and business demands, with a focus on combining theory and practice.
Tetiana Petruk, chief sustainability officer at Metinvest Group, said: “The university has been operating successfully for five years now. We have our first cohort of master’s degree students and dozens of professional development programmes, and we feel genuine support from Metinvest Polytechnic in training our production workforce. We are faced with the task of addressing a staff shortage specifically through training specialists in-house: Metinvest currently has nearly 4,000 vacancies. We have ambitious plans ahead, and we hope that Metinvest Polytechnic will remain a flagship of technical education in Ukraine.”
Admission features include a flexible schedule, scholarships for top students and preferential terms for veterans and applicants from frontline regions. The university also runs international internship programmes, notably in Bulgaria and Italy, in partnership with Promet Steel and Danieli.
The strength of Metinvest Polytechnic lies in its blend of academic knowledge and production practice. Students have access to modern laboratories, undertake internships at Metinvest enterprises and participate in applied research and development. This ensures high-quality training and facilitates the integration of graduates into the real sector of the economy.
There is a special focus on retraining specialists seeking to change their qualifications, including demobilised personnel, representatives of small communities and young people from frontline territories.
A tool for integrating generations
A corporate university is being developed in parallel and will be relaunched in 2025 with an updated methodology. This creates space for both horizontal and vertical career growth, with a focus on management, digital and soft skills.
Between 2020 and 2025, the Group invested UAH55.4 million in vocational education, cooperating with 24 vocational schools, as well as opening training centres jointly with global technology partners (ABB, Siemens and Schneider). This enables the implementation of innovations in production and reduces staff shortages.
In Metinvest’s strategy, education is not only a response to business needs. It is also a contribution to the sustainable development of communities and the reintegration of those affected by the war. Through education, Metinvest promotes increased employment, reduces migration risks and strengthens the economic independence of regions. The Group’s educational initiatives exemplify how the private sector can modernise the country’s education system while simultaneously fostering the development of business, society and the state.
The Group commented: “Metinvest is not just an industrial giant but also a responsible investor in human capital. Education is not an expense but a key asset for Ukraine’s future.”
