On 25 January, SPbGASU hosted a round table “Personnel. Partnership. Prospects." Its topic was relevant both for higher education institutions and for the industry: the university is interested in training in-demand specialists, and industry companies are waiting for workers with professional competencies in demand by the market.

Anton Gaido, dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering; Svetlana Golovina; Andrey Zazykin, dean of the Faculty of Automobile and Road Building

The discussion was attended by the SPbGASU First Vice-Rector Svetlana Golovina, deans, teachers, and representatives of industry companies. The key issue on the agenda was formatting students’ practical skills to meet market demands as part of youth technological entrepreneurship (a project included in the Concept of Technological Development until 2030, approved by the Russian government). The concept outlines priorities that will allow Russia to achieve technological sovereignty. One of them is increasing the innovativeness of the economy. The development of technological entrepreneurship plays an important role here.

Marina Malyutina

Head of the SPbGASU Division for Student Entrepreneurship and Career Marina Malyutina recalled that this concept is a document of a strategic nature that serves as the basis for the development of subprograms in each industry. This kind of subprogram also affected higher education, becoming the basis for its transformation in order to better staff the economy and technological development. Youth technological entrepreneurship is aimed at creating conditions for training and developing the competencies of future technology leaders, as well as stimulating innovative entrepreneurship. It involves the overall involvement of students in project activities and the development of startups. Project teams are expected to be supported through acceleration programs. In addition, as part of the main educational program, students will improve so-called soft competencies, such as teamwork, leadership, communication and entrepreneurial skills, engineering problem planning skills.

– In conditions of personnel shortage, employers are interested in close cooperation with specialized universities. We offer them the following options for participation in youth technology entrepreneurship programs: consulting developers (assessing the viability of an idea, assistance in choosing technical solutions and positioning in the market); expert activity (evaluation and selection of finished projects); information support (talk about projects on your resources). In addition, representatives of industry companies can be trackers who are attached to the team as business mentors, advise it at every stage of the project’s development, and help in developing a business idea and financial plan. Finally, industry representatives can act as venture investors. By participating in this project, our partners will be able to increase the recognition of their brands, acquire new useful connections, develop innovations, obtain solutions to certain problems and secure a personnel reserve for themselves,” explained Marina Malyutina.

Vera Burtseva

The proposal for a new format of cooperation aroused interest in the industry, but also raised a number of questions. Director of the Research Institute for Sustainable Development in Construction (ANO "NIIURS") Vera Burtseva believes that this is a wonderful initiative. “But all developments need to be implemented, otherwise there will be no practical value either for students or for business. We support two student startups, but we cannot implement their solutions due to numerous difficulties. While it is not possible to help the guys see the result of their work, as a result, their interest in cooperation decreases. In my opinion, attracting state corporations to this system could help,” suggested Vera Burtseva.

Igor Myalkovsky

Igor Myalkovsky, manager for interaction with universities at the Academy of the ETM company, is ready to provide jobs for students now, but he is concerned about the issue of their on-the-job training, since there are no workers ready for this. “Who will take responsibility for the quality of students’ work? Today everyone demands a market-formatted specialist. For example, a designer must go through the market crucible to evaluate his professional competencies and, if necessary, deepen them. Therefore, here we need to move from abstract things to particular discussions,” he believes.

Dmitry Kononov

On the other hand, Dmitry Kononov, chief design expert of Atomenergoproekt JSC, notes: “Students have a fresh look. They often initiate the automation of various processes in production.”

Many of those present suggested that we first decide what kind of professional we plan to get as part of the project: an engineer, a researcher, or an entrepreneur? If the latter, will it be possible to prepare them in this way, since these are different skills? Moreover, where is the guarantee that, having become entrepreneurs, they will come to work in the construction industry?

Answering these questions, Svetlana Golovina recalled that students aimed at a professional career strive not only to obtain professional competencies, but also to format them to meet market requirements. “As practice shows, the guys are ready for this, but they don’t know where to start moving in this direction. We propose to combine the efforts of the university and business to help them in these endeavors,” she explained.

The event was also attended by graduates of our university of different years, who have established themselves in the profession and occupy leaders' positions. Among them is the General Director of Engineering Company "Gorod-A" LLC Anton Tukkiya. “Such meetings are useful for all parties: the university, business representatives, teachers. Firstly, it is the establishment of new useful connections; secondly, they can provide information about what the university faculties are today, what their capabilities and capacities are. For example, I found out what projects my native university is carrying out and is ready to carry out, what laboratories it has and what their equipment is. I was glad to meet with numerous representatives of business and government enterprises who were interested in this project. I am ready to participate in youth technological entrepreneurship as a mentor and provide comprehensive assistance to the university in promoting this project,” said the head of the company and advised students to start their career path from the first year.

Nikolai Bolshakov

General Director of StroyKraft LLC Nikolai Bolshakov, a graduate of the SPbGASU Faculties of Civil Engineering and Economics, also expressed his readiness to participate in any university projects that would reduce the acute shortage of personnel in his company.