Metinvest reverses staff outflow in Sept, but many young workers quit after gaining permission to travel abroad – HR Director

In September 2025, the Metinvest mining and metallurgical group succeeded for the first time in reversing the trend of staff outflow, with hiring exceeding resignations, but a large number of young employees aged 18–22 quit following the government's decision allowing them to travel abroad, said Tetiana Petruk, Director for Sustainable Development and HR Relations, at the "Dialogues with NV: Business and the New Reality" event in Kyiv.

"The share of such resignations increased fivefold, so all our efforts in cooperating with vocational schools, career guidance, and implementing programs such as First Job and Young Specialist were effectively nullified. It hit our business hard, especially in the metallurgical sector, which traditionally employs men," she said.

According to Petruk, Metinvest currently has about 4,000 open vacancies. Due to the shortage of qualified professionals on the labor market, the company is accepting all willing applicants. It has conducted an audit of all professional training programs, shortened their duration, and shifted training directly to the workplace. For example, training for a steelworker's assistant, which used to take 6–9 months, now lasts 2–4 months, focusing solely on practical skills.

Metinvest is also using every possible channel to attract workers, including war veterans, offering free training, housing, and competitive pay.

Petruk noted that while the mining and metallurgical sector had traditionally been male-dominated due to the nature of the work and its physical demands, the full-scale war has changed the demographic structure. Now, 30% of Metinvest's workforce are women, employed as crane operators, electricians, and even haul truck drivers in open-pit mines.