The number of job openings for young people under 18 and students has increased in Ukraine, according to a study by OLX
27 July 17:12
In June, the largest number of job openings suitable for students and candidates under the age of 18 was recorded in the retail, sales, and procurement sectors. In a number of professions, the number of job openings increased significantly compared to June of last year.
This is according to the results of a study by “OLX Job,” as reported by "Komersant Ukrainian"
Sectors with the Most Job Openings for Young People
For example, the most job openings were for sales associates; compared to last year, the number of job postings increased by 12%. The median salary in June 2026 was 25,350 UAH. There are also many job opportunities for young people in this sector, such as:
- cashier, median salary – 25,845 UAH
- sales consultant, 25,475 UAH
- baker, 33,300 UAH
- sales manager, 27,750 UAH
However, according to analysts, employers are open to hiring young professionals in other fields as well. In particular, we are seeing a high number of job openings in logistics and delivery, as well as in construction and finishing work. For young candidates, positions are available as
- loader (29,159 UAH),
- driver (33,500 UAH),
- general laborer (25,250 UAH),
- construction worker (36,750 UAH).
“For a number of these vacancies, the number of job postings is noticeably higher than last year: we’ve recorded a 34% increase in postings for loaders, a 25% increase for construction workers, and a 19% increase for general laborers,” the report states.
During the summer season, there is traditionally higher demand for workers in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Many of these job openings are suitable for both students and candidates under the age of 18. These include positions such as:
- cook, 33,150 UAH
- barista, 21,400 UAH
- waiter, 22,625 UAH
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The level of job openings has varied across regions
Analysts note that the situation varies when broken down by region. In some areas, demand for young professionals has increased compared to June 2025, while in others, it has decreased.
In particular, the number of job openings suitable for young candidates has increased significantly in
- Transcarpathia ( 26%),
- Zhytomyr ( 24%),
- Lviv ( 23%),
- Volyn ( 20%),
- Kirovohrad ( 18%) regions.
A moderate increase of 13% was observed in three regions at once: Chernihiv, Ternopil, and Mykolaiv.
“In the Kyiv region , where the labor market is the most saturated, the number of job openings for young candidates remained virtually unchanged: -1% compared to June 2025,” the study states.
In contrast, a significant decline in job openings was observed in the Sumy ( -28%), Poltava ( -20%), and Dnipropetrovsk ( -20%) regions.
Median salaries are rising for the most in-demand specialists
According to the study, employers are raising salaries for most positions with a large number of vacancies. On a year-over-year basis, notable changes in median salaries were observed for salespeople ( up 18% to 25,350 UAH), plasterers ( up 24% to 80,500 UAH), order pickers ( up 25% to 28,469 UAH), warehouse clerks ( up 16% to 29,000 UAH), cashiers ( up 15% to 25,845 UAH), loaders ( 20% to 29,159 UAH), construction workers ( 21% to 36,750 UAH), and baristas ( 16% to 21,400 UAH).
Sales consultants and drivers saw particularly high growth rates: 27% to 25,475 UAH and 26% to 33,500 UAH, respectively.
“According to the results of a study by OLX Robota and EBA, employers view hiring young candidates as one way to overcome the labor shortage. They are willing to hire both candidates without experience (50% of employers surveyed) and young professionals on the condition of further training (37%). Raising salaries is one way to retain employees and attract new talent,” the statement reads.
As analysts note, young people are becoming an increasingly important category of employees for employers. Businesses are not only increasing the number of job openings available to students and underage candidates but are also willing to raise salaries. Thus, we are seeing how hiring approaches are changing amid the labor crisis.
As previously reported, a mentoring program for young people from frontline communities was launched in Ukraine in early July. The initiative has become a practical tool for implementing a new employment policy aimed at supporting youth entrepreneurship and the development of self-employment in communities affected by the war.
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