From unskilled to skilled: how an ILO training gave Victoria Zghibarta a second chance in life in the Republic of Moldova

© ILO

Victoria Zghibarta, from the village of Stolniceni in the Hincesti district, had long believed that not everyone gets the chance to pursue education or build a profession. At 30 years old, a mother of two, she had spent many years in unskilled jobs and felt she lacked a “real” occupation. To her, the future looked like a road with no clear direction. 

That changed when an opportunity arose through an initiative launched by the Hincesti Local Employment Partnership (LEP), with support from the International Labour Organization. It marked a turning point that completely reshaped the course of her life. 

“I would have never thought that, at my age, I could go back to school and totally change my life,” Victoria Zghibarta begins her story, with a shy but confident smile.  

After graduating high school many years ago, Victoria was unable to continue her studies—her family simply didn’t have the financial means to support her education. At the time, she didn’t fully grasp the meaning of the saying, “if you read a book, you have a chance.” 

She took whatever jobs she could find—working at a dry cleaner, as a sales assistant, and later in Czechia, where she was employed in hotels and cleaning services. She returned home after the birth of her first child. 

When her second child was born, Victoria nearly gave up on the idea of ever building a career. Today, she is the mother of two children, aged 5 and 6. With her husband working abroad in construction, Victoria focused solely on raising her children and managing the household, stepping away entirely from the labour market. 

Everything changed when a neighbour told Victoria about the opportunity to join a free vocational training programme offered by the Hincesti Professional School, with support from the ILO. For the first time, she felt that there was a real chance to change the course of her life. 

"When I found out I was eligible for the plasterer-painter training programme, I couldn’t believe my luck. I felt important," she recalls.  

Victoria was selected, along with 14 other participants, to join a training course for unemployed individuals in the construction sector. The initiative is part of a broader support programme aimed at preparing workers for four of the most in-demand occupations in the local labour market: blacksmith-concrete worker, locksmith-installer, plasterer-painter and electrician. The courses, accredited by the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and Research (ANACEC), were developed through the Hincesti LEP in collaboration with several local companies, ensuring alignment with the actual needs of employers in the region. 

"At first, I felt uncomfortable," Victoria admits. "I kept thinking—what am I doing here, back in school at 30? But when I saw my classmates—people like me, some even older—I gained confidence. We became friends and supported one another. The training wasn’t just useful—it was genuinely interesting for me." 

The programme included one month of theoretical training at the Hincesti Professional School, followed by three months of on-the-job training in local companies. Each participant also received a monthly scholarship of 3,500 MDL (approx.180 EUR), which, for Victoria, helped cover transportation costs and other basic needs. 

"For me, the scholarship meant more than just money—it was a sign that I could contribute to the family budget and that I had a role beyond housework," she shares. 

Once she successfully passes the final exam, Victoria will receive a certificate officially recognizing her professional qualification. Her husband is proud of her achievements, and Victoria herself is filled with emotion and hope for the future. 

"For the first time in my life, I have a ‘legal’ profession!" she says. "My dream is to find work here, close to my family. Maybe one day my husband will come back, and we’ll work together. Who knows—maybe we’ll even start a small construction business of our own" she says with a sign of hope.  

For now, Victoria is looking for a job close to home, so she can remain near her children, who are now enrolled in kindergarten and school. Still, she feels that her life has taken a new and promising direction. 

"Now I know for sure: it's never too late to learn. This training has given me a second chance in life." 

Victoria Zghibarta

Victoria’s story is just one of over 60 that have begun to be rewritten through a vocational training program for unemployed individuals in the construction sector called on-the job training, implemented by the Hincesti Professional School with support from the ILO. 

Developed within the framework of the LEP in Hincesti district, the programme includes four training courses—blacksmith-concrete worker, locksmith-installer, plasterer-painter, and electrician—designed to meet the current demands of the local labour market. Targeting unemployed individuals between the ages of 18 and 55, the initiative combines classroom-based instruction with practical training in local companies, ensuring that participants are well-prepared for immediate employment upon graduation.  

This is more than just a qualification—it’s a real opportunity for professional reintegration. For dozens of people in Hincesti, like Victoria, it’s a powerful reminder that it’s never too late for a new beginning. 

This initiative is part of Local Employment Partnership implemented in Hincesti by the ILO project ”Inclusive and Productive employment in Moldova” with the support of the State Secretariat for Foreign Affairs (SECO) of the Government of Switzerland.