A modern career guidance culinary hub has been opened in Sokal, Lviv region, at the State Vocational and Technical Educational Institution ‘Sokal Professional Lyceum’.

This is a new-format space, where students in grades 7–9 can not only learn about professions, but also try their hand at using real professional-grade kitchen equipment.

Besides, school chefs from communities in the Lviv region will be retrained here, as the hub is part of a national network created within the school nutrition reform under the patronage of the First Lady of Ukraine!

The masters of vocational training at the college participated in the Agents of Change programme, which we implemented last year in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, CultFood, and the School Nutrition Reform Team.

We are grateful to the Lviv Regional State Administration and personally to Maksym Kozytskyi for partnership and cooperation.

The 117-square-metre hub is equipped with all the necessary facilities for food preparation and storage, including a combi oven, multifunctional heating system, stove, mixers, dough mixer, meat grinder, vegetable cutter, and refrigeration equipment. To ensure efficient and safe operation in accordance with all sanitary standards, a professional sink with a pot washer, water softening system, and sterilisers has also been installed.

The 98-square-metre tasting room has also been renovated and serves as a space for presentations, practical classes, and meetings with prospective students.

The hub was created with co-financing from:

• Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE project – UAH 4.29 million;
• Department of Education and Science of the Lviv Regional State Administration – UAH 9.9 million;
• Sokal Urban Territorial Community – UAH 300,000;
• special funds of the lyceum – over UAH 1.1 million.
• The total budget of the project is over UAH 15.5 million.

The DECIDE: VET programme in the Sokal community:

• Engaged two general secondary education institutions: Sokal Secondary Schools No. 2 and No. 4.
• The career guidance team comprises six representatives: a community coordinator, a career guidance hub coordinator, and four career advisors from the pilot schools.
• 100 students in grades 8–9 completed the JOBs course.
• 11 career guidance events were held: 9 excursions to enterprises and 2 large-scale events – a forum and a meeting with businesses.
• Over 1,800 schoolchildren from the community took part in career guidance activities and tried their hand at various professions.

The following companies have already become residents of the culinary hub: Euro-Comers LLC, Hotel Chateau LLC, Sands Textile Ukraine State Enterprise, Kyiv-Zakhid Joint Venture, Bukovel LLC, London Restaurant, PUDRA Beauty Salon Chain, Energy Choice LLC, NVP Yenamin LLC, PAF Bilyi Stik, and Barista coffee shop.

The Sokal Culinary Hub is one of 10 career guidance hubs in Ukraine implemented as part of the DECIDE pilot project and the Ministry of Education and Science for the development of a career guidance system in six regions: Kyiv, Lviv, Chernihiv, Poltava, Odesa, and Ivano-Frankivsk.