A pilot project to train female bus drivers has been launched in Ukraine
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The registration for the project "Expanding the professional potential of women in the field of passenger transportation" is open from September 4. This is a free program for the development of professional skills of future female bus drivers.
The project's primary objective is to create new employment opportunities for women in public transport and to enhance their professional skills to better align with the demands of the labor market in the passenger transport sector. The program is aligned with Ukraine's transport reform requirements and European standards for the training of passenger transport personnel.
The project is implemented by the Foundation for Institutional Development at the initiative of the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, in cooperation with UN Women Ukraine and with financial support from Sweden.
“The current personnel crisis is affecting virtually all industries, with a significant need for qualified specialists in both cargo and passenger transportation. There is a demand for over 6,000 bus drivers on domestic routes in various regions. Therefore, one of the state's tasks is to create accessible conditions for retraining and mastering new skills, especially for women. The project's goal is to promote the employment of women in the profession of bus driver and challenge gender prejudices. I am confident that this project will be successful and will be expanded in the future," stated Serhiy Derkach, Deputy Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development.
“The UN Women team, in collaboration with our principal government and civil society partners, is delighted to extend our support for this project and announce the commencement of the next phase, namely the registration of participants. We are aware that there is a high demand for bus drivers across the country and that with the right training and working conditions, women can effectively fill these positions. During the war, women have already made significant contributions to their communities, and becoming bus drivers could be another valuable contribution," said Sabine Fraser Gunes, UN Women Representative in Ukraine.
On average, women represent approximately 19% of the global public transport system's bus drivers. While there has been an increase in the number of women working as bus drivers and on regional and suburban railways, the percentage of women in these roles remains below that of their male counterparts.
In Ukraine, the figure is less than 1%, excluding electric transport.
This pilot project was developed to provide more women with opportunities for training and employment in the transport sector. Women aged 21 to 65 who reside in Ukraine (specifically in the city of Kyiv as well as Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhya, Lviv, Poltava, Chernihiv and Mykolaiv regions), hold a driver's license (categories "B"/"C"/"CE"/"D1"), have over 3 years of driving experience and wish to expand their professional opportunities with plans to become bus drivers are encouraged to join the project.
During the project, participants will be retrained to bring their skills in line with the requirements of Ukraine's bus transport reform and international standards. Training will be provided for 100 women.
Project participants can expect
- Free opportunities to learn new vocational skills.
- Guaranteed employment for participants who successfully pass all stages of the program, in organizations that value and support female drivers.
- Mentoring by a professional team throughout the project.
- Support in their new workplace.
To take part in the selection process, applicants must
- Complete the application form by October 1 at the following link: https://www.she-drives.com.ua/.
- Confirm the authenticity of the information provided in the application form at the request of the project team. This will require sending copies of documents that identify the person, confirm more than 3 years of driving experience, and include a driving license.
- Attend an interview with the project team.
- Sign an agreement to work as a bus driver after completing the training.
For more details on how to join the project and how it works, please visit
The project "Expanding the professional potential of women in the field of passenger transportation" is being implemented by the NGO Foundation for Institutional Development on the initiative of the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, in partnership with UN Women and under the financial support of Sweden.