Opening of the 'ProLom' Educational and Production Cluster
The "ProLom" educational and production cluster officially opened on September 1st at the V.F. Kuznetsov Novokuznetsk Mining and Transport College. This initiative is part of the federal "Professionalitet" project launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The cluster's base enterprise is the Siberian Mining and Metallurgical Company.
The following dignitaries took part in the grand opening: A.A. Pyatovsky (Deputy Chairman of the Government of Kuzbass for Education, Science, and Youth Policy), S.Yu. Balakireva (Minister of Education of Kuzbass), S.N. Kuznetsov (Head of the City of Novokuznetsk), D.A. Kraev (General Director of SGMK), and others.
The strategic development goal of the educational and production cluster is to address the long-term personnel issue for blue-collar professions.
“Currently, the scrap processing industry is facing an acute shortage of specialists in blue-collar professions. We experience it firsthand at our own enterprises. There is a shortage of gas cutters, loader operators, scrap truck drivers, scrap metal receivers, press-shear operators, and crane operators. Given the advanced nature of today's machinery, you can't fill these positions with individuals with no experience,” Denis Alexandrovich Kraev, General Director of SGMK, explains. “This is why we made the decision to train highly qualified workers capable of meeting the demands of not only our operations in Kuzbass but also those across Russia.”
The ProLom educational and production cluster represents a unique approach to vocational training. SGMK is actively involved in developing cutting-edge training programs and outfitting classrooms and laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment. Currently, eight laboratories have been equipped in the following areas of training: Welding Production, Technical Maintenance of Vehicles, Ferrous Metallurgy, and Quality Control Management. Additionally, 11 practical training areas have been established, equipped with production equipment and machinery. Most importantly, the students studying here have access to an open training site replicating a full production cycle of scrap processing that is unparalleled in Russia. Just yesterday, college students lacked the opportunity to sit in the cab of a truck with a crane manipulator (CMU) or a loader; today, they learn to operate them.
Funding for the ProLom cluster was a collaborative effort, combining the federal and regional budgets (100 million rubles and 5 million rubles, respectively), as well as funds from SGMK (120 million rubles). Federal and regional funds were used to develop the cluster's material and technical base, including the purchase of furniture and computer equipment. SGMK’s contribution supported repairs in the cluster's premises, acquisition of educational, laboratory, and production equipment, as well as software. In addition, SGMK will provide scholarships to students enrolled in the program.
“I made a promise to Denis Alexandrovich to wear this particular bomber jacket at the opening of the educational and production cluster. I kept my promise. And during this year, SGMK has fulfilled all of the promises it gave to the vocational education system of Kuzbass,” Sofya Yurievna Balakireva, Minister of Education of Kuzbass, said at the opening ceremony. “If every enterprise fulfilled its promises in this way, we would live in a different city and a different region. Therefore, I proudly encourage everyone to follow the example of SGMK—a company that makes and keeps its promises.”
“SGMK has elevated the culture of scrap processing to a very high, scientific and production level,” Sergey Nikolaevich Kuznetsov, Novokuznetsk Mayor, emphasized in his speech. “Thank you immensely for this site, for improving the environmental situation, for setting modern trends in production activities, and for making a tangible contribution to the development of Novokuznetsk and Kuzbass.”