Dual education in the construction sector of Ukraine: a management model and implementation prospects in the context of post-war recovery

Abstract

The article examines the implementation of dual education in the construction sector of Ukraine in the context of post-war economic recovery. The relevance of the study is determined by the acute shortage of qualified personnel in the construction industry, particularly skilled workers and engineering and technical specialists, which has been exacerbated by the consequences of military actions, large-scale labour migration, a decline in the working-age population, and the mismatch between educational programmes and the actual needs of construction companies. The implementation of national and international reconstruction programmes for housing, transport, and social infrastructure has intensified the demand for specialists possessing modern professional competencies, including BIM technologies, energy-efficient and sustainable construction practices, project management skills, the use of innovative materials, and compliance with international quality and occupational safety standards. The purpose of the article is to provide a theoretical and analytical substantiation of the feasibility of implementing dual education in the construction sector of Ukraine as a model for overcoming workforce shortages and ensuring effective professional training in the context of post-war recovery. The study summarises European experience in applying dual education in technically complex industries, particularly construction, engineering, and manufacturing, and analyses domestic scientific approaches to the development of dual education within vocational and higher education systems. The article demonstrates that dual education should be considered not only as an educational format but also as a managerial instrument for workforce provision in construction companies, capable of reducing the gap between the education system and real production processes. The key advantages of the dual model for employers are identified, including reduced costs for workforce adaptation, lower staff turnover, increased labour productivity, and decreased production and safety risks. At the same time, the study identifies major barriers to the implementation of dual education in Ukraine, such as institutional, regulatory, organisational, economic, and socio-cultural constraints that limit the active involvement of construction companies in workforce training. The main result of the study is the development of a managerial model for implementing dual education in construction companies, which integrates dual training into the human capital management system of enterprises. The proposed model is based on a sequence of interconnected managerial blocks and is oriented toward achieving tangible business outcomes, including the formation of a stable workforce reserve, mitigation of labour shortages, improved efficiency of construction project implementation, and enhanced competitiveness of construction companies during the post-war recovery period. The practical significance of the research lies in the possibility of applying the proposed managerial model as a decision-making tool in the operational and strategic management of construction enterprises of various sizes.