Ukraine has enough training centers for military personnel. However, their capacity does not address the main problem: the training they provide does not always reflect current frontline needs.
Demian Konovalov, a former service member of the Radio Technical Troops of the Ukrainian Air Force, discussed the issue in an interview with Daria Shcherbakova for the BlueBird Tech YouTube channel.
“Their capacity is high, but what they teach is not always up to date. Training centers are the last link in the supply chain. Equipment is provided to the frontline first, and only afterward may it be made available for training at a center,” Demian Konovalov explained.
According to him, private schools and certified academies, including BlueBird Tech Academy, could help address part of the problem by providing training in UAV piloting, engineering, and unmanned systems. These training centers work with both civilians and military personnel.
However, legislative changes are required to establish a systematic approach to training military personnel. One possible solution is a training voucher system. Under this model, commanders of military units would be able to send service members to certified private schools, while the institutions would receive funding for the training provided.
Konovalov believes that this model could involve private schools, manufacturers, and experienced instructors in military training. Some of these institutions already train military personnel and civilians but currently lack sufficient funding to operate systematically.
