On November 25-26, 2020, the Institute of Vocational Education and Training of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine together with the All-Ukrainian Association of Vocational Education of Ukraine within the project "Promotion of Energy Efficiency and Implementation of the EU Directive on Energy Efficiency in Ukraine" (2020-2025) realizing in Ukraine by DeutscheGesellschaftfürInternationaleZusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, on behalf of the Governments of Germany and Switzerland, held online meetings to discuss issues related to energy efficiency in vocational education. The event was attended by the representatives of central executive bodies, the state employment service, research institutions, professional associations, public associations, educational and methodological centres and institutions of professional (vocational) education and employers from Kyiv, Sumy, Chernivtsi, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa and Rivne regions.

The online meeting focused on the discussion of the component of the project "Professional Qualifications in Energy Efficiency", which aims to fill the gaps between the needs of the labour market in the energy sector and the existing opportunities of professional education in the formation and provision of related qualificationswith energy efficiency. In this context, the opinion of the participants-speakers is important in determining the current skills / competencies of qualified personnel in energy efficiency and energy saving in the fields of construction, energy, welding technologies. During the online meetings it was found out that there is a need to develop new or improve existing educational programs (courses) for students of higher, professional pre-higher, professional (vocational) education institutions and students of Vocational Education Centres of the State Employment Service. To improve the skills in the field of energy efficiency of teaching staff, as well as already working professionals and workers, it is advisable to develop and to implement short-term courses. The participants of online meetings decided to make the most of the potential of educational institutions to establish and to strengthen relationship with local authorities, public employment services, research institutions, professional associations, public associations and private enterprises to provide professional training for energy efficiency professionals.