Our experience for the education workers and hr specialists of the region (Shchekinoazot)

On August 21, the Center for Advanced Vocational Training of the Tula Region held the August Meeting of the Region's Education Workers. One of the breakout sessions was Workforce for the Economy: Synchronization of the Regional Education System and the Real Sector's Staffing Needs in the Tula Region: Experience and Prospects.

The meeting gathered heads of educational organizations, regional executive authorities, and coordination centers in the sphere of secondary vocational education. It was attended by representatives of the industrial sector of the Tula region, including Shchekinoazot, which is the largest employer and social partner of universities and colleges in the field of personnel training.

The section was moderated by Olga Zyabreva, Chairperson of the regional branch of the Union of Directors of Secondary Vocational Education, Director of the State Educational Establishment Shchekino Polytechnic College.

The participants were welcomed by Olga Gremyakova, Deputy Chairperson of the Tula Region's government, who noted the importance of such meetings for solving the region's HR problems and training competent specialists for the region's industry and emphasized the importance of continuing to build a constructive dialogue between the education sector and employers.

These goals are promoted by the Professionalism state program, which has been implemented in the country since 2022 and is one of the initiatives for socio-economic development of the Russian Federation until 2030.

Shchekinoazot is among the pilot participants to join the program, because, due to the rapid development and construction of modern production facilities, the company needs competent professional staff. Its partner in the project is the Shchekino Polytechnic College, which is a talent foundry for Shchekinoazot. Together they represent the region and the chemical cluster in the project. The Professional Education federal project is being implemented under the supervision of the Ministry of Education of the Tula Region.

The essence of the program is that vocational educational establishments (colleges) train workers for industries in an accelerated mode, focusing on professional competencies and skills required for work with a particular employer. An educational establishment implements this direction of professional training in close cooperation with a company. The latter invests its own material resources in the project to develop the college's training facilities. The precondition for participation in the project is co-financing from the regional budget and the partner company.

Olga Guseva, Deputy Director of the HR and Social Development Department of Shchekinoazot, told the meeting participants about the personnel training system established in Shchekinoazot, the company's cooperation with educational establishments, and the employer's involvement in professional training quality assessment.

According to her, today, training personnel to work at production facilities is not just relevant, it is a priority not only in specific areas but on a national scale as well.

Today, Russia is modernizing its secondary vocational education, introducing practice-oriented, flexible educational programs, as vocational education and training institutions are assigned with providing industries with personnel having the necessary professional competencies in accordance with the demands of the economy and the labor market.

"Shchekinoazot is actively involved in training specialists for production facilities," emphasized Olga Guseva. "The company is implementing a large-scale development strategy — 20 investment projects have been implemented since 2005, and new programs are under way. Therefore, the company still needs specialists in various fields," she added. 

For many years, Shchekinoazot together with its social partner, Shchekino Polytechnic College, have been implementing a program for training skilled workers. Since 2022, our tandem has been an educational and production cluster as part of the Professional Education federal project.

What does any employer want from a graduate? To have theoretical knowledge and necessary competences and be ready to work.

Success in solving this task depends on close interaction between business and education. That is why Shchekinoazot is immediately involved in the educational process and assessing the quality of training the future specialists.

11 lead specialists of the enterprise are full-time teachers of special disciplines of Shchekino Polytechnic College and have certificates of experts of the demonstration exam. Educational programs are restructured and adapted to the needs of a specific production facility. The company's mentors annually upgrade their skills, and college teachers undergo special internships at the industrial site in order to study new production processes and equipment. The company provides an opportunity to undergo practical training at workplaces (combination of study and work), implementing the dual training principle.

Andrey Grigorov and Sergey Shchemelev, the winners of the Shchekinoazot scientific and technical conference developed a project and created a training laboratory called Automation of Processes and Production Facilities in Shchekino Polytechnic College, for which they became laureates of the Ideas for the Future regional award in the field of science and education. Now, Shchekino Polytechnic College students can drill the skills of computerized real-world production management.

Every year, 120 students will be trained in the new training laboratory (plus students of Efremov Chemical College as part of Shchekino Polytechnic College's network collaboration under the Professional Education Program).

"Our country is implementing federal programs that allow employers to assess the professional competencies of students, identify talented young people being trained for professions and potential candidates for employment. One of such programs is the Professionals championship movement," Olga Guseva continued.

The Shchekino Polytechnic College has repeatedly become a venue for the regional stages of the Professionals championship. This year, the Shchekino Polytechnic College became the winner of the Composites Technology mono-competence.

Shchekinoazot Company is not only directly involved in the preparation of students for the championship, but it also participates in development of the competition tasks, preparation of the sites and evaluation of the contestants.

"Shchekinoazot Company is focused on young people, and we are ready to offer them everything they need to work comfortably: interesting work, a skilled mentor, a development program, a competitive salary, and social programs. We are waiting for young professionals to join our team," Olga Guseva summarized.

The experience of Shchekinoazot's HR system was highly appreciated by the event participants. They showed their interest in implementing its approaches in their organizations.

Olga Guseva was awarded the Certificate of Honor of the Ministry of Education of the region for her great contribution to the development of the system of secondary vocational education in the Tula region. We congratulate you and wish you new achievements in the field of development of HR potential of the enterprise!