Almost a year after the launch of United for Ukraine, new statistics reveal the initiative has, to date, helped 112 refugees secure employment. This week, Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has celebrated the success of the initiative and praised the numerous businesses involved in its inception.
Launched in April 2022 as a response to Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, the initiative aims to connect Ukrainian refugees with high quality employment, training opportunities, and support services in the region.
Burnham has expressed support for the initiative since its inception, hailing its recent statistical success as a “fantastic achievement”. A key selling point for the initiative is its level of support for those fleeing the war, including free signposting to employment and education opportunities, which is something that Burnham is encouraging to continue across the North.
The initiative is a coalition brought together at the request of leaders from the region, including North West Business Leadership Team(NWBLT), the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, The Growth Company, and with support from the NP11 group of Local Enterprise Partnerships and leading regional businesses.
Since its launch, the campaign has supported employers promote over 400 job vacancy posts on the website. United for Ukraine has helped over 1,000 Ukrainians to access support and now seen 112 successful job starts. Jobs advertised on the website span various sectors and industries, including legal, engineering, teaching, marketing, finance, and HR.
Now, the initiative has plans to expand further north to North Yorkshire, Newcastle, and Cumbria, but needs the support of local businesses to advertise their roles on the United for Ukraine website. So far, 140 employers have advertised on the website.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:
“In partnership with employers across the region, we’re continuing to support Ukrainian people who have been displaced to settle in our region by helping them to find employment and education opportunities.
“Since United for Ukraine launched in April last year, over 140 employers from across the region have stepped up, advertising over 400 opportunities through the jobs board. We’ve had over 112 job starts through the initiative so far.
“This is a fantastic achievement, but there is still more we can do. We need to go further and encourage more partners to come on board. We are appealing to all employers – in any sector and across the North – to advertise jobs on the United for Ukraine site.”
Emma Degg, Chief Executive of the North West Business Leadership Team, said:
“United for Ukraine demonstrates what a small and committed group of northerners can achieve through common endeavour. Business leaders and our public sector partners – led by the Growth Company – have provided meaningful and practical support to those fleeing violence who are now our neighbours.
“It has delivered much needed jobs and support for evacuees – and brilliant new employees for businesses across the region. We remain committed to supporting the initiative for as long as it is needed – and call upon other businesses to get involved too.”
Mariana Boichuk fled to England last year with her daughter to escape the war. Mariana, who is now employed at DRM Industrial Fabrics Ltd, said:
“I came to the UK with my 11-year-old daughter which was really difficult for us because my husband, my parents and all my relatives have stayed in Ukraine. When I came to the UK, I didn’t know anybody. I’m an experience, qualified machinist, so I tried to find something I knew I could do here.
“The United for Ukraine team helped me to apply for the job here at DRM Industrial Fabrics. They have helped me with the job application and preparing for the interview.
“I’m really happy to be part of the team at DRM and everyone is ready to help me, and I never feel alone here. I recommend United for Ukraine if you need help finding a job, they’re like a big family who are ready to support you and explain how something needs to be done, if you don’t know where to start.”
Andrea Kuehne, Operations Director at DRM Industrial Fabrics Ltd, who used the United for Ukraine service to recruit Mariana,said:
“We had an open vacancy for a sewing machinist. We heard about the United for Ukraine initiative and all the employment partners involved in the process. Using the service was in many ways the same as using any other recruitment platform – in that your advert is placed on a website. The difference was that the job had to have a living wage and be available for a minimum of 3 months. I was also very aware that the candidates that would come through would be refugees.
“I very much feel that United for Ukraine is a personalised service – they put their arms around the candidate and try to make sure they’re supported in the best way possible through a difficult time. I’ve no hesitation in recommending United for Ukraine – it was professional from start to finish and the support was there all the way through for me as the employer and Mariana as the candidate.”
With no end of the conflict in sight a year after the invasion began, the initiative continues to play a vital role in supporting the integration of Ukrainian refugees into the North and is a testament to the region’s commitment to helping those in need.
For more information about the initiative, register to join our webinar, this Friday 24th February via this link, visit https://unitedforukraine.org.uk, or contact Timothy Jeffrey on 07912 295585 – email timothy.jeffrey@gcemployment.uk
Alternatively, you can email robota@unitedforukraine.org.uk on call 0161 237 4130.
