Problems of the specialist market in the electrical industry were discussed at a conference organized by IEK GROUP as part of the business program of the final of the Open Electricians Championship IEK — 2025. The conference took place at Kazan State Power Engineering University. The central topics were the development of technologies and competencies of energy and electrical market workers, training and assessment of employee competencies, as well as career development trajectories for specialists.
The program was attended by representatives of higher education institutions and specialized colleges, specialists from state corporations in the industrial and energy sectors, leaders of championship movements, and representatives of authorities.
"We have been cooperating with IEK GROUP for almost 10 years," noted Alexander Leontev, First Vice-Rector of Kazan Power Engineering University, opening the event. "We understand each other well. It's great that so many interested parties came together at this championship."
The plenary session featured reports by Maria Yelkina, General Director of the Agency for Professional Skills Development; Dmitry Shishkin, Director of the Administrative Department of the State Corporation "Roscosmos"; Emil Gubaidullin, General Director of the Center for Professional Competencies Development of the Republic of Tatarstan; Elena Parikova, Head of the Project Office of the company NOSTROY; Mikhail Pogrebissky, Director of the Institute of Electrical Engineering and Electrification, NIU MPEI; Oleg Bazer, Advisor of the Institute of Labor, Ministry of Labor of Russia; Irina Sobirkina, Deputy Director of the Department of the company "Russkiy Svet"; Alexey Krasavin, Head of the Championship Organization Department of the "Rosatom Corporate Academy".
Participants of the plenary meeting noted the importance of popularizing the profession of electrical installer. The demand for qualified specialists in Russia is only growing. According to employer surveys, electrician is one of the most in-demand professions.
Professional skills championships were recognized as one of the important mechanisms for assessing professionals, implementing advanced standards, and popularizing the profession. According to Maria Yelkina, General Director of the Agency for Professional Skills Development,
"Professional skills championships, when conducted based on high standards, like the Open Electricians Championship IEK, allow assessing a specialist's skills and working through important issues laid out in national projects. For example, ergonomics of the modern workplace, which directly affects labor productivity. Involvement of current specialists in the championship movement, including from other countries, helps develop the country's personnel potential."
"We start with the development of the junior movement, professional development of children," comments Natalia Bel'skaya, Director of Human Resources at IEK GROUP. "We introduce new technology standards through the championship movement, work with secondary vocational and higher education, helping to grow competent and patriotic workers and engineers. Our work is aimed at the entire market. We want electricians to be modern professionals, mastering new and future technologies, allowing to move the profession and technology forward."