Partnership with secondary vocational education institutions is a strategic tool for business personnel policy. We will find out how to effectively “configure” graduates and raise the prestige of blue-collar jobs

About the expert: Bulat Zaripov, curator of the “College League” project of the Gazprom Neft company.

Why the Economy Needs College Graduates

President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia is in dire need of blue-collar workers: “To enhance the prestige and popularity of these areas, we will continue to establish partnerships between colleges and technical schools and employers.” The head of state also spoke about the need to improve working conditions and that Russia should become a “high-wage economy.” In his opinion, this is where “the key to increasing the efficiency of production itself” lies. These statements accurately reflect the trend toward solving the systemic problem of personnel reproduction. Let’s figure out why.

The first question that requires clarification is what specific blue-collar jobs are we talking about. The most vulnerable part today is the line personnel. These are mostly blue-collar workers: operators, fitters, welders and other specialists. Not long ago, many thought that the niche would be filled by automated systems. However, it is impossible to replace blue-collar workers, because industrial systems require a “human” approach to management and control.

If we talk about the fuel and energy industry, there are at least 20 more job titles that directly support the “extraction-processing-sales” chain. Today, companies need many more specialists in various professions. The requirements for employee training are very high — they work with complex equipment and must have competencies from related fields.

How business relations with secondary vocational education are developing

Gazprom Neft has systematically started developing partnerships with educational institutions since 2020. We were the first to launch a project for cooperation with higher education institutions, the League of Universities. The support system for educational institutions of secondary vocational education, the League of Colleges, has become a logical continuation of this work; educational institutions training specialists in oil exploration and production were the first to join the partnership. The League of Universities today includes more than 40 universities in Russia, and the League of Colleges, which we launched in 2022, includes 20 educational institutions of secondary vocational education. This is about 3,000 students in 20 specialties of interest to the company from 19 regions.

The “College League” was created primarily for the joint development of vocational education and raising the level of personnel training in accordance with business needs. The project’s objectives include facilitating the “tuning” of educational programs to meet industry demands, supplying educational organizations with the necessary resources, and organizing internships for teachers and practical classes for students at our sites.

Why Invest in College Partnerships

Only highly qualified specialists can use modern technologies in industrial production. And training such specialists is expensive and should be financed at the appropriate level. In dialogues on this topic, the most effective strategies for business are often discussed: to train from scratch on the job and gradually improve qualifications “without interrupting production”, to invest in recruiting specialists with experience and the required level of qualification, or to develop a strategic partnership with educational institutions. Today, Gazprom Neft is concentrating on developing the third direction.

The emphasis on training specialists at the college level is explained simply – it is an opportunity to directly participate in the educational process. Together with the college management, we analyze educational programs. And thanks to access to Gazprom Neft’s expertise, college teachers independently modernize educational programs, understanding the current requirements of the industry. Together with the opportunity to do an internship, this approach gives us priority candidates for the most in-demand vacancies.

In fact, today we are more likely to prevent a personnel shortage than to actually feel it. Current needs for employees do not go beyond our standards. However, we feel that the demand is gradually growing. There is a possibility that we may also face an imbalance: there will be fewer people on the labor market than vacancies. So there is a growing interest in blue-collar jobs. According to the forecast, a real shortage is possible in three to five years. Accordingly, we are already forming a certain strategy: we are building an ecosystem to cover our prospective needs for personnel in the future.

Areas of work with secondary education

Within the framework of the “College League”, there are three main areas of interaction and work in the “partner-partner” format:

Joint development of educational programs. Our attention is focused on the most accurate correlation of educational programs and curricula with the realities that await children in the workplace. And this means compliance with the system of requirements, permits and technologies used today. Within the framework of educational programs created jointly (with the administration and teaching staff of educational institutions), our corporate trainers and experts transfer knowledge to students. Colleges regularly involve our employees in teaching certain disciplines.
Development of college infrastructure. The territory of the educational institution functions as a platform for practicing the required skills of students, where all equipment must correspond to the workplace at enterprises, that is, operate on the principle of a testing ground. The tools must be completely identical. The result is a seamless transition of the student to the workplace.
Development of the college management and teaching staff. Two special programs have been developed for representatives of the secondary vocational education system: “Energy to Teach” and “Energy to Manage”. As part of the “Energy to Teach” program, college teachers visit our company’s production facilities, describe our workplaces and processes, and create corporate standards for professions, on the basis of which educational programs for training in the college are updated and created. For the second program, college managers develop projects to improve the effectiveness of interaction between the college and the personnel of our production enterprises.

Prospects and growth points

Investments allow to build a system of training specialists and avoid gaps in the progressive development of the company. In addition to investments in infrastructure, one of the important components in the work of the “League of Colleges” is the “human-centric” approach. It involves a focus on the training and development of teaching and administrative staff of partner colleges, as well as the creation of joint educational programs.

In this context, we use the concept of “from adaptation to pre-adaptation”, which accurately describes the logic of the work of the “League of Colleges”. Adaptation means the process of adjusting to changes and external factors. Accordingly, pre-adaptation is the ability to be prepared for future changes. To achieve the goals set forth in the project, we ensure maximum convergence between the enterprise and the educational institution, which ensures a seamless transition of the student from the educational environment to the work environment.

We have been working with colleges in the regions where the company operates for a long time, and thousands of graduates from partner colleges are already working at Gazprom Neft enterprises. But the company began systematically cooperating with educational institutions precisely with the founding of the College League in 2022, and in the first two years we launched many new educational programs that will allow us to obtain the required personnel flow in the future. One of the most important tasks of the project at this stage is to expand the network of partner colleges. It should be noted separately that the formed team is open to partnership with other companies. We are confident that such cooperation helps the development of education in our country.

Winter holidays are a great time to relax at home or abroad. But no matter where you spent the weekend, returning to the familiar world of traffic jams, meetings and deadlines is depressing. How to fight post-holiday apathy?

It can be hard to get back into the work mode in the first few days after a vacation, especially if you’re not particularly excited about your duties. Here are five ways  Forbes columnist Sally Percy can help you resist the urge to run away from work.

Plan your next vacation

This option will help to lift your spirits in anticipation of a new trip. It is important not to be afraid to fully use your annual vacation opportunities: fearing to fall behind in fulfilling work obligations, many do not have a full rest for years, which ultimately has a very bad effect on physical and mental health.

Set yourself positive non-work task

Often we are so focused on our careers that we neglect other life goals that are equally important: time spent with family and friends, hobbies, travel, and learning new skills or languages. Returning to the workplace after a break is a good opportunity to reprioritize and set new goals for the coming months. However, it is important that these are positive goals that will help bring joy back into your life.

Meet up with people you haven’t seen in a long time

This could be a colleague from a previous job or an old friend. The important thing is that it should be someone you enjoy spending time with. Part of the dread of returning to work is due to the routine that comes with it. Meeting up with someone you rarely see is a way to break that routine and feel like you’re doing something new.

Spend your free time more rationally

After a vacation, we quickly return to all the bad habits we had before, such as constantly checking messages on our smartphones and working 24/7. Turn off your phones, tablets, and laptops while you’re on vacation. A blinking email notification won’t help you “switch off” and relax.

Start looking for a new job

Feeling dread about returning to the office is a likely sign that you should do something different. You might want to consider going self-employed or changing your career path altogether.

Remember: It’s natural to go through an adjustment period when returning to work, especially if you’ve had a good rest. So take it easy, avoid long hours in the first few days, and be careful when making important decisions. However, this period can also be seen as a time to make changes that will have a positive impact on both your career and your life.

What do early childhood development teachers do, what should they be able to do, and why are they needed in modern society: we study with expert Diana Lukyantseva, product owner and tutor of the educational project Step by Step

In a rapidly changing world, it is important not only to teach children new skills, but also to create a solid foundation for their comprehensive development. Early childhood educators help lay this foundation, providing a foundation on which children can successfully grow and adapt in the future. Let’s find out how they do it and why this profession is the future.

Who is an early development teacher?

An early development teacher is a specialist who works with children from birth to seven years of age, aiming to support and stimulate their physical, emotional, social and cognitive development. The teacher’s work is based on the age-related characteristics of the psyche and the tasks of children’s development at each stage.

• Infancy (0–1 year). The first year after birth is a period of rapid physical growth and development. The child learns to interact with the world through sensations and movements. Trust in the world is formed, and motor skills are developed. At this age, the teacher supports development through games that include tactile sensations, auditory and visual stimuli.
• Early age (1–3 years). During this period, speech and self-care skills are actively developing, and research activity is underway. The child develops a sense of autonomy: he becomes more independent, his coordination of movements improves, and his vocabulary is enriched.
• Preschool age (3–7 years). At this time, children actively develop their thinking and imagination, and their social skills. Play becomes the leading activity. In addition, the child needs to be prepared for school, and for this, it is important to develop communication skills and self-regulation skills.

Proper early development of a child is the first step towards successful learning and self-determination. If a child receives support in childhood based on his age-related tasks, this creates a reliable basis for future personal growth and development.

Prerequisites for the development of the profession

An early childhood development teacher is one of the professions of the future . There are several reasons for this. Firstly, research by psychologists and neurobiologists has shown that early childhood is critically important for the formation of personality. During this period, a child actively learns through interaction with people and the world around them.

The second important factor is that from the 20th century to the present day, parents have begun to pay much more attention to work, so they have a demand for teachers who would contribute to the development of the child. Alternative educational models began to appear that take into account the individual characteristics of children: for example, the Maria Montessori method.

In addition, interest in emotional intelligence and mental health of children has begun to grow. Digitalization and rapid changes have begun to dictate new requirements for future generations: in particular, creativity, adaptability and communication skills.

An early development teacher can be a specialist who uses various approaches and methods: for example, the Montessori method or play practices.

A Montessori teacher does not teach directly, but acts as a mentor and observer, supporting the natural processes of child development. And game-practitioners use play as the main method of development. These can be both free games and games with certain rules. By participating in them, children develop cognitive, emotional and social skills. The results of the study indicate that the experience gained from the game is perceived similarly to what can be obtained in real life. However, it is safer, since the game process has many opportunities and minimal consequences.

A child psychologist can also act as an early development teacher and help the child socialize, manage emotions, and help parents interact with him correctly.

Essential skills of an early development teacher

Knowledge of developmental psychology : the teacher must understand the developmental characteristics of children at different stages in order to choose appropriate working methods that support their emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Empathy and patience : the teacher must be sensitive to children’s emotions, be able to build trusting relationships, and also be patient, since each child develops at his own pace.
Play and creativity skills : Play is the main way children learn. The teacher must be able to come up with exciting games and activities that promote children’s development and maintain their interest in learning.
Communication with parents : the teacher must be able to explain to parents the goals and results of the work, give constructive feedback on the child’s development and help them understand how to support the child at home.
Organizational skills : The teacher must be able to plan lessons and create an environment that encourages learning and play, providing children with a safe and comfortable space to develop.

How to become an early childhood educator

The ideal option is to obtain a higher pedagogical education, and then take a course on the methodology that interests you. For example, the 72-hour online course ” Support for children’s play ” from “RYBAKOV PRODETEI”. Listeners are taught how to create and enrich the environment to maintain a playful atmosphere. The platform also has a course dedicated to the characteristics of early childhood.

You can immerse yourself in the Reggio Emilia method (based on learning through studying the environment) at the Imaton Institute of Practical Psychology in St. Petersburg. During the seminar, you will not only learn about the specifics of the approach, but also see how one of the kindergartens works using this method. Courses on the method are also available at the ProReggio online school . You can also do an internship in Italy in the city of the same name and learn how this approach was born.

The Montessori method is studied, for example, at the International Institute of Montessori Pedagogy . There are courses of varying lengths in full-time, part-time and online formats.

There are programs for teaching sensory integration, which explain how the body, brain, and nervous system process signals from the outside world. Such programs are available at the Shaltai-Boltai sensory-motor hall and the Center for Innovative Technologies for Development and Social Adaptation .

• Table of Contents

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  Content:

• What is SPO?
• Specialties
• Where to get
• Program

What is SPO?

SPO is secondary vocational education. Its goal is to train skilled workers and mid-level specialists for all sectors of the economy [1] . You can enroll in SPO programs not only after the ninth or 11th grade, but also after graduating from college or university.

The education is focused on practical skills. Employers often enter into agreements with colleges, provide students with internships in order to develop their own personnel.

In 2023 alone, 1.2 million people entered secondary vocational education programs [2] . About 45% of all personnel in the labor market are graduates of technical schools and colleges [3] .

Secondary specialized education and secondary vocational education

In the USSR, primary vocational education was obtained in vocational schools, and secondary specialized education was obtained in technical schools  [4] . In Russia, such a division does not exist; only secondary vocational education is enshrined in federal law. It can be acquired in a college, a school, or a technical school.

Specialties of secondary vocational education

The specialties of secondary vocational education are approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia. You can choose from several dozen professions [5] . Here are some of the areas:

• Medicine  – nurse, paramedic, dental technician, pharmacist, massage therapist.
• Education : kindergarten teacher, primary school teacher.
• Jurisprudence  – lawyer, specialist in judicial administration.
• IT technologies – programmer, database administrator, application developer.
• Aviation  – technician, pilot, dispatcher.
• Economics and management  – accountant, financier, insurance specialist.
• Service and tourism – fashion designer, make-up artist, florist, chef, pastry chef.
• Art  – ballet dancer, actor, music teacher, choir conductor.

In 2023, the most popular specialties among college students were “Information Systems and Programming”, “Nursing”, and “Primary School Teaching” [6] .

Economics of Education

Can the SPO system solve the problem of personnel shortage?
Where to get secondary vocational education
There are SPO programs in 3.5 thousand educational institutions  [7] . These are colleges, technical schools and vocational schools. The curricula, admission rules and set of documents do not differ much. No later than March 1 of each year, SPO organizations publish admission rules, specialties and forms of study, a list of required exams on their websites. By June 1, information on the number of budget and commercial places is published.

Applications for admission begin in June and last almost until the end of August. If there are vacancies, technical schools, colleges and vocational schools may extend admission until the end of autumn. Training can be conducted on a budgetary or contractual basis.

Applicants must have basic general, secondary general, primary vocational, secondary vocational or higher education. The available specialty and the duration of study will depend on this: from 2 years 10 months to 3 years 10 months.

To apply, you will need a package of documents:

• certificate;
• application for admission;
• copy of passport;
• certificate of health status in form No. 086-U;
• photographs for personal files;
• military ID for young men over 18 years old.

When applying, the admissions committee takes into account not the results of the OGE or the USE, but the average grade point average of the certificate. However, for some specialties, the educational institution may conduct additional entrance examinations. With their help, the necessary creative, physical or psychological qualities are assessed. For example, applicants to the program “Garden and Park and Landscape Construction” will need to pass an exam in drawing [8] .

Economics of Education

How full-time and part-time education is organized in schools, colleges and universities
SPO program: how the training is conducted
Studying at a college or technical school is more like studying at a university than at school:

the year is divided into two semesters, after each one you need to take tests and exams;
classes are held in pairs – one lasts 90 minutes;
The theory is given with notes during lectures, and during seminars, practice and discussion of the material are carried out.
The first years have general education subjects: mathematics, Russian, English, history. Then students study applied subjects – what will be useful at work.

Throughout the final year, students write and defend their diploma thesis, the topics are always practical.