Beneficial to everyone: enterprises reduce the shortage of personnel, and young people realize their potential and get prestigious jobs
The education system in Russia is often reproached for the fact that it trains personnel, being in isolation from the real needs of the economy, and the unwillingness to think in advance about the career development of graduates. And while the capital’s universities have become proficient in solving this problem, not all universities in the regions can boast of such experience.
Photo: Alava. Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43938461
At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2024, the President of Russia, discussing the prospects for the further development of the country, pointed out the need to train modern, in-demand specialists.
Both the government and business are aware of the significance of this issue. According to Rosstat, in April unemployment in Russia was at a record low level of 2.6%. This positive, at first glance, indicator actually suggests that there are not enough personnel for a developing economy today, and that for every large company there is an acute question of where to get employees. In order to link the needs of the labor market and the capabilities of the education system, the national project “Personnel” will start in Russia in 2025, the content of which is being worked out by the relevant ministries.
At the same time, in Russia there are already many successful cases of universities adapting to the changing personnel needs of business, including in the training of blue-collar specialists. It is important that not only the largest educational centers of Moscow and St. Petersburg have such experience — it is gradually being replicated in the regions, including Siberia, the development of which is one of the main priorities for the development of Russia.
About how universities manage to find an effective form of interaction with business, which provides great career opportunities for graduates and helps retain specialists in Siberia (which in itself is a task on a federal scale), MK found out.
One of the main industries in Siberia is energy, where the Irkutsk region occupies a leading position. The Angara River flows through the region, on which some of the largest hydroelectric power stations in the country are located (Irkutsk, Ust-Ilimsk and Bratsk hydroelectric power stations). They generate up to a third of all electricity generated in Siberia.
Personnel for the energy industry, which is one of the leading employers in the region, is trained by leading universities — Irkutsk National Research Technical University (IRNTU) and Bratsk State University (BrSU) .
According to the rector of Bratsk State University Ilya Sitov, the popularity of electrical engineering specialties among applicants is constantly growing. This year, 150 people will be accepted into the first year of bachelor's programs, 50 specialists will study in the master's program, and another 4 people will continue their education in graduate school in the specialty «Energy». Similar indicators for the enrollment of applicants to the Institute of Energy are planned at the Irkutsk Technical University.
For motivated and active energy engineering students, IrNITU and BrSU have created all the opportunities to receive a quality education and build a successful career. Interestingly, universities did not have to reinvent the wheel to achieve this. Their approach is based on “timeless classics” — a practice common since Soviet times of deeply immersing students in the real production process from the first years of study. 
Photo: Margarita Romanova, Irk.ru.
This link between the university and the enterprise allows students to have an accurate idea of what awaits them in the workshops, boiler and turbine halls, and not to feel like unseasoned fighters at work upon completion of their studies. The corporate educational and research center (KUIC), which both universities are developing together with one of the leading employers of the Irkutsk region, the energy holding En+, is responsible for the practical acquaintance of future power engineers with the profession and their mastering of additional professional education programs that will later be useful in their work.
Ekaterina Samarkina, director of the Institute of Energy at IrNITU, highly appreciated the role of the KUIC in training students: “It would not be an exaggeration to say that from the point of view of practical training, our institute is ahead of the rest. This is primarily due to the work of the corporate training center of our industrial partner, the En+ company. Here students have the opportunity to master the most modern equipment, which they will use in the future at enterprises.” Most of the classes in training centers are taught by employees with extensive experience working at hydroelectric power plants and thermal power plants, who pass on knowledge to students and share professional nuances with them.
The emergence in Russia of such projects that allow graduates to gain practical work skills without interrupting their basic education is a striking example of the synergy between universities and business, which not only helps students gain in-depth knowledge, but also opens up wide opportunities for achieving success on the career track.
Upon graduation, students from IrNITU and BrGU receive two diplomas: the main one on higher education and the second diploma on completion of the KUIC. At the same time, young power engineers who are distinguished by high academic performance both at the university and at the corporate training center are the first candidates for employment at En+.
“More than 90% of our university graduates are employed by the end of their studies , the rest find their jobs very quickly within a matter of months, if not weeks after completing their studies,” Sitov emphasized. “I would like to note that young “techies” — mechanics, power engineers — with such training and knowledge earn good money and easily make a career.”
According to Ekaterina Samarkina, over the 15 years of operation, the KUIC has graduated more than 700 specialists, many of whom have built excellent careers and already occupy management positions. It is also important that young specialists from IrNITU and BrSU, after receiving their diploma, do not need to go anywhere in search of work — they can find work in their small homeland. It is enough to show perseverance and hard work in your chosen field.
“I am from the village of Taiturka, located almost 20 km from the city of Usolye-Sibirskoye,” technical director of CHPP-11 Egor Klysh shared his story. — My father was the chief power engineer at the plant, and he got me interested in the profession. After graduating from school, I entered the heat and power engineering department of IrNITU. In 2009 he graduated from the university with honors. I started my career at the very bottom level: I worked as a 3rd category operator operator in a boiler shop. In three years I rose to the rank of senior driver and eventually became a shift supervisor—I worked in this position for five years.” 
Photo: Margarita Romanova, Irk.ru.
In parallel Egor has undergone training in various human resource development programs. “My Career”, “Shop Supervisor School”, “Technical Leader School” are just a small part of the advanced training and competency development courses that are available to power engineers at En+. As a result of constant professional development, Yegor managed to grow from the position of a machinist-inspector to a technical director — the position that Klysh currently holds. He noted that the university gave him important fundamental knowledge, but the experience gained at KIC still plays a big role in his work.