On May 22, Novokuznetsk hosted the first regional stage of the All-Russian Professional Skills Competition «Best in Profession» in the «Flame-cutting Torch Operator» category. Its main feature was that it ran concurrently with the interregional stage – allowing specialists from Kuzbass, as well as Tomsk, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, and the Krasnoyarsk and Altai Territories to compete side by side.
In 2026, the number of categories in the All-Russian «Best in Profession» competition grew from 20 to 25, with input from the business community. Among the five new categories is «Flame-cutting Torch Operator. » The addition came at the initiative of SGMK, which helped Russia's Ministry of Labor include flame-cutting torch operator competencies – requiring both theoretical knowledge and practical skills – in the official roster of competitive disciplines.
The competition took place at the ProLom training and production cluster. Twenty-two participants – the elite of industrial trades – competed for the title of best in their field. Most are experienced scrap processing industry workers, alongside a few representatives from Kuzbass's chemical industry.
«Every year, more Kuzbass enterprises from a wide range of industries take part in the 'Best in Profession' competition. This year, 125 specialists competed in eight categories – for the first time, we had cooks, flame-cutting torch operators, and UAVs operators, and for the first time, veterans of the special military operation demonstrated their skills. This shows that the competition is gaining traction and the popularity of working-class professions is on the rise. We wish all regional stage winners the best of luck as they represent Kuzbass at the federal level, » said Natalia Chaika, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Kuzbass.
Competitors in the «Flame-cutting Torch Operator» category were greeted by Maxim Kuzmichev, Head of Scrap Procurement and Processing at JSC SGMK.
«Until recently, many believed the flame-cutting torch operator profession had no future. But today, thanks to SGMK's large-scale projects and strong support from the Ministry of Labor, we are confidently proving otherwise. I see this every day in my own work. I also want to extend a special thanks to Novokuznetsk Mining and Transport College named after V.F. Kuznetsov for their invaluable contribution to our shared mission, » Kuzmichev said at the opening ceremony. «Dear colleagues, despite the chilly weather, I wish you genuine enjoyment in today's event. One of our main goals here is live interaction. Believe me – you are not alone in facing the local challenges that come up every day at your plants. Your profession is what unites you, makes you stronger, and drives our entire industry forward. »
Watching a flame-cutting torch operator at work is a mesmerizing spectacle – a fusion of the magic of fire and rigorous technical precision. One of the tasks was to cut a steel rail into five identical pieces, strictly along marked lines without deviating to either side.
«Working with dense metal demands endurance – the competitor literally bites into the metal, transforming heavy labor into a high art accessible only to a select few, » said Olga Letyaeva, chief expert for the regional stage of the competition. «An even more challenging task is cutting an equilateral triangle out of a sheet of metal. This is a true test of professional maturity. The cutter must determine the side length by eye, without measuring tools, which is extremely difficult. But it is precisely in tasks like these that cutters hone their skills and show what they're made of. »
After all the tests, Andrey Tulisov, a flame-cutting torch operator at Vtormet Trade Company LLC, was named the winner. Second place also went to a representative of Vtormet TC LLC – Roman Chasovnikov. Third place was taken by Maxim Bugaev of Vtormet LLC. All winners are from Novokuznetsk.
«I've been in this profession for ten years. I prepared for the competition, but I didn't expect to win. It feels great – and very exciting, » said Andrey Tulisov. «I'm grateful to the company I work for – Vtormet TC LLC – for giving us this opportunity to show what we can do and see how others perform. Of course, I'll be competing for the grand prize at the federal stage. »
The federal stage of the competition will take place in September 2026 at the same venue. The organizers – the Russian Ministry of Labor and SGMK, with support from strategic partner Noviy Vtormet and the «Pro Lom Union» SRO (Self-Regulatory Organization) Association of Scrap Processors – promise all participants and spectators intense emotions, a thrilling spectacle, and uncompromising competition.