17.08.2022 // The Arkhangelsk Region will receive RUB 100 mn to establish a training centre for the forestry industry. The ProfiProm education and production cluster will start operating in 2023. The Novodvinsk Industrial College will train workers for the timber industry as part of the federal project 'Professionalism.'

In May this year, the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation announced a grant competition among the country's colleges and technical schools as part of the federal project 'Professionalism', launched in 2022. One of the main objectives of this project is to bring the level of training of technical school and college students as close as possible to the needs of the labour market. To this end, potential employers are involved in the development of educational programmes.

'Educational institutions are equipped with equipment that should already be applied in future work, and in doing so, the training period for a specialist is shortened. And when they leave institutions of secondary professional education, our guys not only have a guaranteed job but they are already, in fact, working in an enterprise. They come out with an absolutely full level of competencies, skills that are necessary for a seamless transition, for application in production,' explained Denis Gribov, Deputy Minister of Education of the Russian Federation.

A total of 150 colleges and technical colleges from across Russia took part in the Ministry of Education competition. The Novodvinsk Industrial College was one of the winners. The RUB 100 mn grant won will be used to create the ProfiProm education and production cluster.

The project partners are the Arkhangelsk PPM, Titan Group, Sawmill No. 25, Arkhangelsk Plywood Plant and Novodvinsk Repair and Construction Company. They will invest RUB 17 mn in the development of the cluster. 'We have allocated the same amount for this purpose in the regional budget,' said Alexander Tsybulsky, Governor of the Arkhangelsk Region.

Thus, the total amount of funds that will be used to create the cluster will be RUB 135 mn. They will be used to modernise the infrastructure of the Novodvinsk Industrial College, upgrade educational programmes and create training and production complexes.

The cluster will also include regional colleges with forestry workshops, established as part of the federal project 'Young Professionals' of the national project 'Education.'

Pomorie already has experience with an innovative approach to training personnel for the forestry industry. For example, three years ago, the Arkhangelsk Region became the first Russian region to launch ForestSkills, an industry championship of professional skills for young forestry professionals. It is organised in strict accordance with the requirements and standards of the WorldSkills and the Young Professionals Union.