EFKO Special League: to improve the company's performance and solve global problems

For the first time under the auspices of the International Engineering Championship "CASE-IN" industry youth are solving cases in the field of the fat and oil industry and the agro-industrial complex. This unique opportunity was presented to the participants of the EFKO Group Special League. The project brought together contestants from different regions of the country, who developed projects on important topics for the industry during the individual selection stage. The authors of the best ideas continue to compete for the main prizes of the season.  

More than 570 students have registered to participate in the individual qualifying stage: to advance to the next round future analysts, HR specialists, creative managers, designers, brand managers, marketers, chemical technologists, geneticists, embryologists, microbiological engineers, biotechnological engineers and other specialists competed. However, only 161 of them successfully completed the task of the case and submitted their project to the expert commission.

Founder and Co-chairman of the Organizing Committee of the International Engineering Championship "CASE-IN" Artem Korolev: "When we created the championship in 2012"CASE-IN", they could not even imagine that it would grow from a small project into a huge system that now covers not only the fuel and energy sector. In collaboration with EFKO Group of Companies, we were able to involve students who study in completely different areas of training in solving cases. Conducting such a project will allow the company's management to find talented students and include them in the talent pool. The participants of the championship, in turn, have the opportunity to develop their personal and professional qualities and establish themselves as one of the leading companies in the country by developing innovative solutions."

EFKO Group of Companies currently employs more than 17,000 people in Russia and Kazakhstan, and the knowledge accumulated over more than 25 years makes it possible to educate entire research teams and future leaders from inexperienced students, said EFKO Group Innovation Director Rostislav Kovalevsky: "Our company is ready to help students realize their abilities. Today we are in search of talents who are ready to develop and offer their ideas. The Special League is a promising platform for this task. The projects developed during the competition will help EFKO Group find various solutions to certain issues, and the contestants will be able to immerse themselves in the company's production realities, where they are likely to continue their careers in the future."

The contestants had to solve cases related to the real production tasks of the company and the global challenges facing the food industry. Depending on the chosen field (analytics and marketing, design, chemistry and biotechnology, management), ambitious students have created a marketing strategy for developing the packaged oil market, developed measures to increase the efficiency of the sales department and layouts of the EFCO branded zone for their universities, and also proposed a technology that minimizes carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere during product production. power supply. Mentors from among the company's specialists helped the children.

An expert commission consisting of leading specialists from EFKO Group branches, the Biruch – NT innovation Center, the INT scientific and Technical association, as well as members of the teaching staff of the country's leading specialized universities identified 40 contestants who performed better than others and overcame the qualifying stage.

The winners of the qualifying stage took part in testing using the methods that the company uses when selecting staff. The students answered questions about personal effectiveness, motivation, stress tolerance, etc. The best participants were grouped into 7 mixed teams, who will have to solve the case "Organization of an innovative business model".

Students from the Altai Territory, Vladimir, Volgograd, Kirov, Kursk, Rostov, Saratov, Samara, Sverdlovsk regions, the Republics of Tatarstan and Crimea, as well as the Udmurt Republic, will continue to compete for the main prizes of the championship.

In accordance with the assignment of the case, students will develop a model for organizing an effective business for the production and sale of vegetable milk for the company: they will think over an advertising campaign, slogan and packaging, propose a management model and methods of staff motivation, and also give ideas on the composition and technology of the product.

The winners and prize-winners will receive diplomas and valuable prizes, as well as an introduction to the work of the EFKO Group's scientific and educational center and production sites – an enzyme plant and fat and oil products. The authors of the best developments will be included in the company's personnel reserve and will have the opportunity to implement their ideas. All project participants will also receive certificates. 

The award ceremony will be held at the Biryuch Innovation Center in the Belgorod region.