Reliable shift for miners

The mining industry always needs highly qualified personnel. With the development of information technology, the once popular and even romanticized professions of mining engineer, surveyor and geologist began to give way to IT specialties, which offer promising prospects for fast learning and remote work from anywhere in the world with the Internet.

However, the "mining" cluster remains the basis for the development of many spheres of life, leads to scientific achievements and opens up new technical opportunities. This is exactly the idea that the Reliable Change Foundation brings to schoolchildren, students and young professionals by organizing case championships, forums, Olympiads and corporate events aimed at popularizing scientific and technical education and career guidance for young people. For more than 10 years, the foundation's projects have served as a platform for the self-realization of participants, a forge of personnel for the fuel and energy complex and MSK companies, and a great hope for the Russian mining industry. The active participation of young people and their fresh perspective on the mining industry convince us that today's generation of professionals will be replaced by reliable, trained specialists.

Why the International Engineering Championship "CASE-IN", the forum "Mining School" and other projects are popular with young people and how they solve large-scale tasks for the country, we will tell you in today's article.

The Championship "CASE-IN": we are educating real miners!

The International Engineering Championship "CASE-IN" stands out among the Foundation's projects. For 11 years, one of the projects of the presidential platform "Russia – the Land of Opportunities" has been a social elevator for ambitious youth, including students and young specialists from mining universities and companies. The project allows young people to talk about their ideas, master important professional and personal competencies, decide on a future profession, enroll in universities and find a job.

"The essence of the championship is simple: participants in cross-functional teams solve engineering cases on relevant topics of industry and the economy of the country, prepared by partner companies"CASE-IN», – the founder and co-chairman of the organizing committee of the CASE-IN championship, Director of the Reliable Shift Foundation, spoke about the engineering competition Artem Korolev. –  The participants defend their innovative developments at qualifying competitions, and the authors of the strongest solutions go to the finals in Moscow. The Championship "CASE-IN" takes place in two stages: in the spring, the winners of the main season are determined, and in September-December – the Autumn Cup."

Participants who have created and presented their projects with high quality receive valuable prizes and tangible prospects for growth. The rewards for the winners and prize-winners of the Student League are privileges for admission to master's and postgraduate studies at 24 universities, internships and internships in partner companies with the possibility of further employment. The triumphant students will receive additional USE points when applying to bachelor's degree programs at one of the 109 partner universities of the championship in 53 regions of Russia. The winners of the League of Young Professionals are rewarded with new opportunities for career and professional growth, as well as inclusion in the managerial personnel reserve of companies. The authors of the best ideas also take part in industry youth educational forums and travel around Russia as part of the "More than a Journey" program.

It is for these awards that the participants of the three "mining" areas, whose partner is invariably ALROSA, compete in the finale of the main "CASE-IN" season. In the XI season, the students decided cases, dedicated to the topic of "Technological Leadership" and related to artificial intelligence, computing and data transmission, robotics, and industrial technologies.

Great prospects for new champions

In 2023, in the direction of "Mining" The team of St. Petersburg Mining University "Million carats" rose to the highest step of the podium.

"We have proposed a comprehensive solution that helps to increase the stability of the sides of the Yubileyny quarry by introducing a system of deep microseismic monitoring of the sides and a set of methods for strengthening ledges. The experts highlighted our proposal to optimize the quarry mining technology by internal dumping of overburden and underground mining using a rock cushion.", - said the captain of the team Sergey Barkhatov.

According to the champions, each team offered interesting ideas and innovative approaches, which contributed to the development of innovation and technology improvement.

"We gained the ability to work in a team, correctly assign responsibilities to each participant and plan time, were able to significantly broaden our horizons and gained experience working in the GGIS Micromine Origin&Beyond program., - noted by Sergey Barkhatov. – We are glad that we were able to exceed our expectations and achieve such success, which is proof of our professionalism. This will help us create effective and competent projects in the future, as well as expand our professional horizons for working in leading companies in the industry."

Champions in the direction of "Mining machinery and equipment" - two-time winners of the "CASE-IN". For the second year, the award has been won by the Mountain of Winds team from the Kuzbass State Technical University named after T.F. Gorbachev.

"The essence of our solution is to transfer most of the duties of inspecting heavy trucks from mechanics to artificial intelligence, as well as making predictions about the near failure., - the captain of the team talks about the development Anastasia Sokhoreva. –  We also propose to organize a place for mobile inspection and maintenance of dump trucks, in which you can install a modular hangar and a diagnostic post, which will help improve working conditions for staff, as well as reduce physical exertion. The information accumulated in the database on the diagnostic and operational parameters of the machines and the reduction of the load on humans will not only reduce the time for repairs and shift maintenance, but also increase the production capacity of the enterprise."

The champions believe that they were able to achieve the desired result thanks to full and comprehensive immersion in the topic of the case, a cohesive team and support from a mentor.

"The level of the finalist teams is getting stronger and stronger every year. The championship final impressed us with the large number of talented participants not only in the Student League, but also among schoolchildren Anastasia Sokhoreva admits . – At the "CASE-IN" we were able to develop non-standard and analytical thinking, improve professional competencies, learn how to comprehensively approach the solution of problems and find different options in the shortest possible time. We are also learning to work more productively as a team with each championship, and at the moment we can proudly call ourselves a full-fledged "case family".

The student team "Nuggets" of the Far Eastern Federal University became the winner in the field of "Geological Exploration".

 "The championship provides a space for experts from different fields to communicate and involve students in the process of discussing current issues. It allows you to establish links between educational institutions and companies, which is an undoubted advantage for students., - says the captain of the team Myron Kiselyov. – I would like our future employer to focus on innovative technologies and cooperation with scientific institutions, as well as efficiency in the search for deposits. We are ready to be resourceful, open to experiments and new discoveries."

ALROSA traditionally invites winners and prize–winners to begin an internship, and then, if the student has established himself, to work. This is the path taken by the 2020 champions among miners from Irkutsk National Research Technical University. Polytechnic students interned at the Udachninsk mining and Processing Plant. Over the course of 14 weeks, the students mastered surveying technologies and consolidated their mining support skills. The company provided the champions with decent conditions: the students were provided with housing in a new apartment-type dormitory, paid for flights and medical examinations, and signed a fixed-term employment contract with competitive wages.

Team Captain Ilya Zikratsky: "I have already had three production practices. Each trip helps to learn from the experience of high-class professionals and to understand the intricacies of the surveying business. By the time the internship is completed, it is possible to discuss the issue of employment in the company. I am ready to move to Yakutia to continue building my career."

"This is my second internship at the company. For the first time after the third year, I joined the company on a competitive basis: I sent my resume, and I was chosen among dozens of other students. I have come to practice now thanks to my victory in the field of Mining. I like my future profession. In part, she is a little creative, and it is not for nothing that the word "surveyor" is translated from German as "the art of setting boundaries.", - emphasizes the team member Elizabeth Mironova.

A meeting place for professionals

For experts of the mining industry, the CASE-IN championship is an opportunity to evaluate motivated young people and open up new horizons for talented young people. Employers realize that this is the key to future discoveries and breakthrough ideas.

Head of the Personnel Selection and Development Center of ALROSA (PJSC) Natalia Petukhova emphasizes: "CASE-IN" is one of the tools for attracting promising and talented students to enterprises for practical training and, possibly, for further employment after graduation, since when solving cases, students get acquainted with the specifics of the enterprise. In turn, the championship is a good platform for young people to share their experience and knowledge with their peers, and to realize ambitious plans and goals.».

Another annual partner of the championship is Mycromine Rus LLC. The company introduces its technological developments into the competitive part of the championship and helps mining students and geologists find the most effective solutions to cases.

CEO of Mycromine Rus LLC Boris Kurtsev notes: "The fact that young people participate in the CASE-IN championship shows that they care about the future of the industrial complex and our country. There may be defeats on their professional path, but they must always find the strength to rise up and move forward to become highly qualified specialists."

From the very first years, the IMC Montan Director has been supporting the championship as an expert., Sergey Nikishichev. He knows how to overcome the shortage of qualified personnel in the industry.

"To cope with this, we all need to pay more attention to the problems of engineering education and the development of teaching staff, as well as the creation of training grounds for industrial practice., - this is Sergey Nikishichev, – Today, young people need to be not only professional engineers, but also be able to express their thoughts clearly and competently, work in a team along the lines and, most importantly, see the strategic goal of combining all the factors that affect the feasibility of field development and the effectiveness of projects. Love and respect your mentors, take advantage of their positive experiences, and look for and appreciate people who have a lot to learn from!"

HR Manager of the Mining EuroChem Division Mikhail Lebedev He believes that the CASE-IN championship is an effective platform for communication with students of universities and specialties relevant to the company.

"Promising students who are not afraid of big challenges and tasks and are ready to realize their potential and innovative ideas in real production have the opportunity to express themselves.. The company has the opportunity to consider talented students and offer them internships and internships in a real modern and safe production facility.",  - notes Mikhail Lebedev.

Developing traditions and preserving memory

From the very first years, the CASE-IN championship has been associated with the Vernadsky State Geological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences: it was here that for many years in a row the solemn awarding of champions and prize-winners took place, at which the President of the Vernadsky State Geological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences, an Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the President of the Academy addressed the students. Mining Sciences Yuri Malyshev.

In 2022, Yuri Nikolaevich Malyshev died. In memory of him, the Reliable Shift Foundation has opened a memorial page, and the CASE-IN Student League Champions Cup in the field of Mining now bears the name of a real mining engineer and mentor of the foundation. 

The Championship and the Foundation continue to maintain friendly and professional ties with the State Geological Museum.

"Since 2013, we have been supporting the work with schoolchildren carried out by the museum and the Interuniversity Academic Navigation Center for Mining and Geological Specialties organized on its site. We are very touched that the center now bears the name of our mentor and great friend Yuri Nikolaevich Malyshev., - shared it Artem Korolev, - Research and creative projects organized by the museum and the Center help schoolchildren from all over the country to get acquainted with mining, and many even choose a future profession for themselves. We are always happy to meet with experts and future miners and geologists at the museum's events, and we are also waiting for the participants of the competitions here, at the school and subsequently at the student leagues of the International Engineering Championship "CASE-IN".

Become professionals with "CASE-IN»

In recent years, there have been more and more talented young professionals who have built a professional path, starting with participation in the "CASE-IN" championship.

In 2013, Nikita Lipnitsky, as a member of the St. Petersburg Mining University team, won the first case-solving championship in the field of mining, which is the predecessor of the CASE-IN championship.  In particular, thanks to the success of the project, in 2017 he joined the company SPb-Giproshakht LLC as a mining engineer.

"I remember the championship as a grandiose and important event in my life, there was a sense of recognition and responsibility to represent my institute at the All-Russian competition. There are no emotions anymore, given the passage of time, but there is always a sense of discovery and the importance of that moment for my life.", " He's telling me Nikita Lipnitsky.

In 2023, the first champion is already the CEO of Giprotsvetmet JSC and an expert in mining areas of the CASE-IN Student League. Nikita Lipnitsky is confident that geological exploration and mining are professions that limit novice specialists in their development opportunities and the scope of their tasks.

"Specialists in this industry must combine a balance of engineering and creative thought. Try to live up to this ideal, and then you can become a mining engineer or gain a foothold in another profession you love. Nikita Lipnitsky gives advice to industry youth. – There are many new beginnings and interesting challenges in the industry. This is a great field for discoveries and successes. Mining and geological working conditions are constantly changing, which forces everyone involved to constantly be on their toes and look for non-standard ways to solve a wide variety of tasks. And this, in turn, encourages a person to move forward." 

Ilya Ovchinnikov, as a student at Ural State Mining University, became a CASE-IN champion in the field of Geological Exploration in 2018, and today heads the laboratory of geological and Geophysical assessment at the Scientific Research Geological Enterprise ALROSA (PJSC).

"In the year of graduation from the university, I took part in the CASE-IN championship for the second time, – he remembers Ilya Ovchinnikov. – Together with Evgeny Zhuklin and Artyom Trutnev, we took a responsible approach to the project and were able to develop the most effective solution. In the final of the championship, we confidently defended our decision in front of the expert commission and achieved the final triumph. The experience of communicating with specialists from leading companies and peers from other regions was very useful.  By the way, my wife also took part in a prestigious competition. So we can say it's a family thing."

The examples of the CASE-IN participants prove that thanks to the championship it is possible to achieve recognition and get into one of the largest industry companies.

The mining school develops active specialists

Among the foundation's "mining" projects is the All-Russian Youth Scientific and Practical Forum "Mining School". The Forum aims to develop the personal and professional competencies of young people in the mining industry and is held on the initiative of JSC SUEK with the participation of the Reliable Change Foundation, NP Youth Forum of Mining Leaders, LLC AstraLogica with the support of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation.

For the first time, the forum was held in the Kemerovo region – Kuzbass, and in just 10 years it brought together about 2,000 young miners from 30 regions of Russia.

The project addresses topics of primary importance on the mining industry's agenda. The mining youth communicates with industry experts, participates in trainings, lectures, business, intellectual games, team and individual sports competitions.

SUEK HR Director Pavel Knyazev: "It is not the first year that we have been preparing a personnel reserve within the framework of the Mining School. The main task of this reserve is to gain knowledge, take an active lifestyle, participate in development activities, achieve high production results and strive for more. People with high management skills will always be in demand. You have a real opportunity to take on leadership positions in the industry in the future."

The participants of the Mining School are particularly interested in the case competition under the auspices of the International Engineering Championship "CASE-IN". Participants find interesting solutions to real-world production tasks, as well as master important skills for personal development and career advancement.

The 10th anniversary Mining School, held in 2022, was dedicated to the topic "Safety at work and in life. Occupational safety and industrial safety". The contestants improved the safety culture at the enterprises of the industry and formed a conscious attitude towards ensuring safety at work and in life.

Medals and cups are not the only thing that young specialists from all over the country come to the Mining School for. The opportunity to join the youth industry community and meet new friends, the development of professional skills, valuable advice from masters of their craft and great prospects – this is what the forum has been known for for 10 years.

"This is the fifth time I have participated in such a forum and I see how the project is developing., - this is the captain of the Primorye Miners team Anton Gorbunov. – For me, the most interesting thing was holding a case competition - both in terms of the readiness of the teams, the complexity of the tasks being solved, and the evaluation work of experts. A rich educational program, meeting interesting people. After all, a real "schoolboy" should study, study, and study again every day."

"For me, Mining School is about wild energy and getting a variety of experiences.  If you want to be really successful here, then you have to be a "universal soldier." And solve cases, and play in KVN, and participate in sports competitions. It's difficult. But that's the point of the project.", - says the representative of the League of Outstanding Miners team Igor Ananyin.

EuroChem Marathon of Working Professions

The largest companies in the mining cluster pay great attention to the formation of a personnel reserve and hold corporate events for young people. One of the leaders here is EuroChem. The company, with the support of the Reliable Shift Foundation, held a League of Working Professions, and in 2022, for the first time, the EuroChem Marathon of Working Professions was held under the auspices of the CASE-IN International Engineering Championship.

More than 500 students from 9 colleges and technical schools got to know the company and learned about sought-after professions during the marathon, and EuroChem was able to see talented students in the business.

The opportunity to prove themselves was given to students of 3-4 courses from colleges and technical schools in Novomoskovsk, Belorechensk and Nevinnomyssk. The young people chose one of the professions (remote control operator, chemical analysis laboratory technician, electrician, instrumentation and control fitter, electric and gas welder, turner, etc.), visited production sites with excursions, solved and presented engineering cases. The contestants were also able to master new competencies as part of a master class and training.

The champions and prize-winners received certificates for targeted training, scholarships, relevant topics of graduation projects, as well as a chance to complete an internship at the company and join the personnel reserve of EuroChem.

REN Youth Day

The Youth Day of the international forum "Russian Energy Week" is one of the main events for the Russian energy industry and unites the largest industrial companies and universities of the mining cluster on its site. Students and young professionals, meeting with industry leaders and experts, exchange ideas and jointly form the youth agenda of the fuel and energy complex for the next year.

Annually by the participants On the REN Youth Day, the winners of the Youth Global Forecast of Energy Development become. Feducating the youth community of the fuel and energy complex and the Moscow Industrial Complex and related industries, popularizing engineering and technical education and developing new technologies are precisely the goals set by students of specialized universities and young specialists who have united under the wing of Forecasting. Since 2017, the participants have been forming a strategy for the development of the industry until 2035, taking into account the legal regulation of the fuel and energy complex and the Energy Strategy of Russia.

In 2022, the team of St. Petersburg Mining University became one of the strongest. "WeWatt». The champions told representatives of the industry community about their ideas at the REN Youth Day, and received well-deserved awards from the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation. By Nikolai Shulginov.

"Talented young people with bright eyes are a solid foundation for the development of the energy sector and the fuel and energy sector as a whole. In the future, I am sure these guys will be able to become energy leaders and form a powerful management base.  Their love for their work will help them form dynasties in the future that will work honestly for the benefit of the industry.", – the Minister emphasized.

The projects of the Reliable Shift Foundation described in the article are only part of the overall mission to raise the prestige of mining professions. Hopefully, the talented guys who have already mastered professional skills and learned how to solve complex problems will become industry leaders in the future and bring maximum benefit to the mining industry.