Why businesses should invest in young professionals today: insights from Enzym Group

Iryna Voitovych, Chief Communications and Reputation Management Director at Enzym Group, discussed this labor market paradox and the role of business in training future professionals.

Ukrainian businesses are currently operating amidst one of the most acute staffing crises since the country gained independence. The working-age population is shrinking due to negative demographic trends and forced migration caused by the war. Mobilization has been an additional factor, further reducing the labor supply. Consequently, companies are increasingly feeling the shortage of experienced professionals.

However, the changes in the labor market are not merely quantitative. Rapid technological advancement is altering the very logic of hiring. Artificial intelligence can perform the routine tasks that once served as the starting point for young specialists' careers—and do so faster and more cost-effectively. The availability of such optimization may cause companies to lose interest in hiring inexperienced staff.

This trend is also evident in the global labor market. According to the Work Foundation, 36% of UK employers have reduced the number of positions for inexperienced young specialists over the past year. Among large companies, 60% reported cutting entry-level vacancies due to automation and the implementation of AI technologies.

At first glance, the shortage of experienced professionals and the reduction in opportunities for those just starting their careers appear to be separate issues. Businesses need ready-to-work specialists immediately, whereas junior-level employees have not yet had the time to gain the necessary experience. However, this is where a paradox arises: if companies fail to create opportunities for gaining initial practical experience today, there will be even fewer mid- and senior-level professionals in the market tomorrow.

There is no quick fix for this problem. While the state is working on employment and retraining programs—and more initiatives are emerging to support the employment of veterans, internally displaced persons, and other groups—these measures help expand the pool of potential employees but do not solve the shortage of experienced specialists. Consequently, a key task for businesses is not merely attracting talent but also cultivating future professionals equipped with the specific skills companies require.

Why businesses should rethink their attitude toward Generation Z

Today’s students, recent graduates, and postgraduates—who currently lack experience—are the mid- and senior-level professionals of the future. Yet, this group of candidates often receives mixed reviews from employers. "Zoomers" are frequently characterized as lacking a work ethic, being unwilling to invest time in mastering a profession, and having a tendency to job-hop.

However, stereotyping an entire generation does not help businesses understand the people they will be working with in the coming years. Generation Z was shaped by a different context: their childhoods coincided with rapid technological advancement, the proliferation of the internet and social media, and constant information exchange. This has influenced their attitudes toward work and their interactions with employers.

For young people, opportunities for growth, meaningful work, alignment with company values, and flexibility are paramount. What an employer might view as excessive demands, a candidate often sees as key criteria for choosing a workplace. Consequently, traditional methods of attracting young candidates may no longer yield the expected results.

It is crucial for businesses to view young professionals not only in terms of their current competencies but also their potential. Junior-level employees are the mid- and senior-level specialists of the future. Recruiting them is not merely a matter of social responsibility; it is a way to cultivate the very specialists whom businesses are already in short supply of—and may face an even greater shortage of in the future.

Engaging with future professionals before the first job opening

Businesses can begin connecting with future specialists while they are still studying—long before they apply for their first job. One approach is systematic collaboration between companies and educational institutions.

For instance, Lviv Polytechnic hosts eight educational programs created with the support of the local IT cluster, featuring mentorship from industry professionals. In Kharkiv, information technology departments are developing joint educational and scientific-technological programs with the IT cluster and local businesses, enabling students to undertake internships and participate in international projects.

Companies can also create their own educational opportunities—a practice long established among international firms. Google, Microsoft, and Meta, for example, combine internships with real-world business tasks and mentorship. Google offers specific programs tailored to students based on their stage of study. Through its "Explore" program, Microsoft offers first-year students the opportunity to experience key stages of product development. Meta combines intensive training with teamwork and mentorship support.

Ukrainian companies are also developing similar formats. Pharmaceutical manufacturing companies support students in relevant fields with scholarships and offer practical training and internships that can lead to permanent employment. Other formats include lectures, workshops, hands-on courses, and in-house educational projects. In the IT sector, educational programs are combined with practical tasks and mentorship support and subsequent selection for long-term programs.

Enzym Group’s Biotech Studios: Practical Experience for Future Biotechnologists

In the field of biotechnology, student access to a real-world laboratory environment is crucial. That is why Enzym Group developed "Biotech Studios"—an intensive, multi-day program for biotechnology students from universities across Ukraine.

Participants work alongside Enzym Group scientists in an actual R&D center, gaining hands-on laboratory experience. The program centers on conducting experiments, operating equipment, and tackling real research tasks. This allows students to see how their university knowledge applies to industrial biotechnology and gain a better understanding of their future profession.

For the company, this format offers a chance to meet young scientists before they enter the job market as experienced candidates. At the same time, Biotech Studios highlighted a key insight: a short internship or intensive course is not enough if the young person does not see a clear next step for professional growth. Therefore, engaging with students requires consistent interaction and opportunities to gain practical experience, rather than just isolated activities.

Such engagement can take various forms: university partnerships, scholarships, lectures, internships, practical courses, mentorship, or work on real-world business challenges. The key is to start working with future professionals well before the company faces an urgent need to fill a specific vacancy. This allows students to gain experience, better understand the specifics of the profession, and try their hand at real-world work. Businesses, in turn, gain the opportunity not only to seek out ready-made specialists in a tight labor market but also to gradually build their own talent pool.