Graduates of Tomsk Polytechnic University–participants of the "CASE-IN" are employed as a System operator

The defense of the final qualifying papers of undergraduates studying under the specialized System Operator program took place at the National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University.

The defense of diploma projects in the specialty "Information Technologies in the electric Power Industry" became the final chord in the educational process of TPU undergraduates who received a double higher education under the System Operator program. Six months ago, in June 2023, they successfully defended their graduation projects in the specialty "Energy Systems Regime Management". According to the results of the defense, nine out of twelve undergraduates received an excellent grade.

All the topics of the thesis are in the field of interests of the System Operator and are aimed at solving specific tasks facing the company's specialists. Immersion in the tasks of the System Operator during production internships allowed undergraduates to develop at a high technical level, with an understanding of the challenges facing the industry and taking into account the prospects for software import substitution.

An important result of the training was the guaranteed employment of graduates: each of them received a referral to work in the branches of the System Operator.: ODE of Siberia (Kemerovo), Krasnoyarsk RDU (Krasnoyarsk), Buryat RDU (Ulan-Ude), Novosibirsk RDU (Novosibirsk), Khakass RDU (Abakan). Two young specialists will go to the capital – they were invited to the Main Dispatch Center of the System Operator and to the branch of the ODU Center.

During the two and a half years of study at the specialized master's program at TPU, students gained knowledge in the field of electric power engineering and information technology. Thanks to the constant participation of the System Operator's specialists in the educational process, young power engineers have mastered modern practices used in the company's work.

"The improvement of operational dispatch control technology in the electric power industry is possible only on the basis of innovative solutions, primarily in the field of digital technologies. The defense of final qualifying papers in the field of Information Technology in the Electric Power Industry is the next stage in the training of specialists of the System Operator who will create such solutions. The availability of in-depth knowledge in the field of information technology among energy specialists is the key to the successful implementation of the Digital Transformation Program of the Unified Energy System System Operator JSC, – said Ivan Voronov, Head of the Market Support Service at the Siberian Federal University, who joined the State Examination Commission.

The graduation of specialists with two diplomas was the fifth in a row within the framework of the joint program of the System Operator and TPU, which started in 2017 and proved its effectiveness. In total, 180 young specialists for the System Operator have been trained in the Master's degree program at Tomsk Polytechnic University.

Students' acquaintance with future colleagues during lectures and colloquiums, their involvement in scientific and technical conferences held by the company, including "Electric Power Industry through the eyes of Youth", joint participation in the International Engineering Championship "CASE-IN", conducting production practices in control centers - all this contributes to the fact that TPU graduates easily make the first a step into big energy.

"Through long-term cooperation with Tomsk Polytechnic University, the System Operator receives multifaceted specialists capable of solving the challenges of the present and future in the electric power industry", – noted Alexey Khlebov, General Director of the ODE of Siberia.

Graduates of Tomsk Polytechnic University, who are already starting work at the University of Siberia, shared their impressions, summing up their studies under the master's program. 

Daria Baykalova She noted that the high level of scientific and pedagogical staff and the sincere interest of teachers in the assimilation of information by students made a strong impression. "Despite the fact that mastering academic disciplines in two different areas required a lot of effort, now I have no doubt that, if necessary, I will be able to curb any field of knowledge."

Ilya Koptsev: "Already at the interview stage for admission to TPU, it became clear that the group would include strong students with high academic performance and personal achievements, which was confirmed during their studies. Our classes were, without any doubt, taught by the best teachers of TPU. Their many years of experience, constant self-education and warm attitude towards students have created an excellent knowledge base that will serve as a foundation for the start of our work in the System Operator. I would also like to mention the employees of the Siberian State University of Economics who participate in teaching and testing knowledge. Their lectures and consultations showed how to apply theoretical knowledge in production tasks."

Evgeny Bratchikov: "Taking into account the digitalization of the economy, such a dual training program allows you to have an outlook sufficient not only to create a proposal for automating part of the business process, but also for its implementation. As an example, our final qualifying papers. At the stage of protection under the "Regime Management" program, they proved their usefulness when implemented in the business process, and at the stage of protection under the "Applied Informatics" program, they demonstrated the possibility of automating the proposed solutions. I think if all higher education were built on such close cooperation between students, enterprises and universities, then there would never be any questions about the technological sovereignty of the state in Russia, since each generation would have its own reliable shift."

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