Young, ambitious and highly professional: how TAIF-NK bringing back the fashion for working professions

Competitiveness of Russia — in working professions

In the next 5 years, it is necessary to train one million specialists of working professions to ensure the security and competitiveness of Russia. This task was set by President Vladimir Putin at the Federal Assembly meeting this February. According to the head of the state, the prestige and authority of secondary vocational education is growing, as is the demand for graduates of technical schools and colleges.

“The task is specific: over the next 5 years to train about a million specialists of working professions for the electronics industry, robotics, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and defense industry, construction, transport, nuclear and other industries key to ensuring the security, sovereignty and competitiveness of Russia," Putin stated.

The president stressed that it is necessary to expand the professionalism project in the country, within the framework of which educational and industrial clusters are being created, the educational base is being updated, and enterprises, employers form educational programmes in close contact with colleges and technical schools.

Being a worker is prestigious!

Tatarstan, as one of the developed industrial regions of Russia, has been paying special attention to the popularisation of working professions for many years. Economic development is impossible without this, the authorities of the region are sure. The main partner here are the leading industrial enterprises of Tatarstan, where tens of thousands of highly qualified specialists work. The innovative oil refining complex of Russia, TAIF-NK JSC, makes its contribution to increasing the prestige of working professions.

Young, ambitious, bold, and professional — this is how the team of TAIF-NK JSC can be described today. The company employs about 4 thousand people, more than half of them are people under the age of 35. Every employee of the company has social guarantees, a decent salary, the opportunity to prove themselves in professional competitions and grow up the career ladder.

The company closely cooperates with professional institutions of Nizhnekamsk, organises industrial practices, conducts open lessons and meetings with schoolchildren, open days, excursions for students.

“The best in profession”

TAIF-NK JSC knows that professional skill contests The Best In The Profession play a special role in increasing the prestige of working professions. Competitions in the company are held twice a year and cover the main professions represented in TAIF-NK JSC. This is a chemical analysis laboratory assistant, an operator of technological units, an electrician for the repair and maintenance of electrical equipment, an electric and gas welder, and an instrument maker.

“The task of the professional skills competition is to popularise working professions, motivate participants to further professional growth and personal development and, as a result, increase key production indicators, such as productivity and labour quality. The main goal of the competition is that out employees to be the best, emphasises Anton Tukhvatullin, the head of the technical training group of TAIF-NK JSC.

Recently, on the basis of the College of Petrochemistry and Oil Refining named after N.V. Lemaev, this year's first professional skill contest The Best In Profession in the competencies of Instrument Operator, Electric and gas welder of manual arc welding with a non-melting tungsten electrode in the environment of argon protective gas, and Welder of manual arc welding with a coated piece electrode have been held. About 20 young specialists under the age of 35 took part in the competition. Experienced experts — employees of the oil refining company — prepared, developed tasks and evaluated the knowledge of the contestants.

The work of a welder is almost an art

In the competence of Electric Gas Welder, 8 young employees of TAIF-NK JSC, as well as two students of the N.V. Lemaev College, competed for the prize. Lemaev. The participants were to complete tasks as close as possible to the WorldSkills standards.

“This year we have complicated the tasks. Welding will be made to parts that already have a welded seam. The participants need to assemble the structure and weld a pressure vessel. Our welders are true professionals in their field. The guys are young, but at the same time, they are very competent," said Rustam Bagaviev, the chief mechanic of TAIF-NK JSC, expert of The Best In Profession professional skill contest.

For the electric and gas welder of the refinery, Bulat Nasibullin, this is the third competition of professional skills. And all three times — successful. Bulat is the winner of the regional contest Alabuga Skills. The young man does not intend to lower the bar — he plans to be on the podium again.

“Every professional skill contest is a challenge for me. It is necessary to cope with the excitement and show all your knowledge and skills. Welder is one of the main professions in production. The strength of future structures and the quality of the future product depend on our work, therefore, mistakes in work are not allowed. It is not enough for a welder to connect the seams of a part correctly — he needs to know the physical properties of welding and the materials used," says Bulat Nasibullin.

Rafil Valiev, an electric and gas welder at the Gasoline Plant, admits that it will not be easy to be the first at the professional skills competition. All competitors have a lot of experience. He himself has been professionally engaged in welding for more than 20 years.

“There are several indisputable advantages in our profession. Firstly, high wages. Although the profession is considered a working one, it pays well, especially if the specialist is experienced. Secondly, demand. A welder is required at any industrial enterprise, in the oil refining industry. It's also a very responsible job, it doesn't like hack work," he emphasises.

Aynur also adds that The Best In Profession contest is not only a competition, but also an opportunity to exchange experience, ideas, technologies, meet colleagues, prove yourself for further career growth.

“TAIF-NK helps us a lot”

Pavel Krasnoperov, the chief member of the jury of The Best In Profession competition, believes that there are many electric and gas welders in Tatarstan, but there are not enough truly qualified craftsmen among them.

The electric and gas welder must be physically developed and healthy. Sometimes, he has to work not in the most comfortable conditions and in an uncomfortable position. Besides, he must have basic knowledge in mathematics, physics, chemistry.

“To successfully complete the competitive tasks, it is necessary to know the types of welds, types of joints, their features, the device and the principle of operation of the welding equipment used, power source. It is also necessary to know the chemical and physical properties of metals, be able to prepare the workplace, configure equipment, select consumables. The welder must read process charts and drawings, choose welding modes correctly, control the quality of the seam, eliminate seam defects," says Pavel Krasnoperov, the head of the welding section of Shop No. 13 of TAIF-NK Refinery JSC.

No more than 2 hours were allotted to the electric and gas welders to complete the task. By the way, TAIF-NK JSC helped to equip the laboratory where the professional skills competition. At the request of the college teachers, the company purchased the necessary consumables.

“TAIF-NK helps us a lot. Recently, the company provided consumables for the workshop — pipes, electrodes, additives for argon-arc welding. The guys and I work with these materials every day. The employees of the company are constantly interested in whether we have everything, offer their help. We are very grateful to them," says Rudik Zigangaraev, Master of Industrial Training at the N.V. Lemaev College of Petrochemistry and Oil Refining.

According to the teacher, electric and gas welders of TAIF-NK JSC annually show high results at a professional competition — one of the best in the city.

“If you evaluate it by a five-point scale, then I can put a solid five," Rudik Zigangaraev says with a smile. “I have been working at the college since 1999, more than one generation of welders has grown up before my eyes. A lot of my students work at TAIF-NK, and they also participate in this competition. I'm proud of them! The student should weld the products better than the teacher. When he welds better, then the teacher will be calm.

With devices on first-name terms

While the electric and gas welders were being tested, there was a struggle for the first place among the instrument operators in the next office. Nine employees of TAIF-NK JSC and three college students participated in this competence.

The instrument operators had to answer 44 questions in half an hour, as well as repair and replace measuring instruments. The competitive tasks were as close as possible to the production tasks that the participants face daily at work.

“All technological processes at our production facilities are connected with measuring instruments. And, of course, the activity of such a specialist as an instrument operator is extremely important, because the correct operation of devices and their maintenance depends on him. Besides, he must be able to quickly diagnose faulty equipment, eliminate malfunctions in a timely and high-quality manner, while observing the rules of operation, labour protection and industrial safety standards. They are not born professionals, but they become professionals, and participation in the competition is a great opportunity to check the level of their training and skill," says Sergey Dolganov, the chief metrologist of TAIF-NK JSC and concurrently chairman of the jury of the competition.

Ilnaz Tuktamyshev got a job as an instrument operator at TAIF-NK JSC two years ago. During this time, he proved himself as a responsible and talented specialist. The managers advised him to take part in the competition. The young man admitted that it is doubly exciting to pass tests in the walls of his native college.

“I graduated from this college with a honours degree in 2019, then served in the army and got a job at TAIF-NK. This enterprise is the key one in the republic for oil refining. I was attracted by a good income and the opportunity to make a career. I have never regretted my choice, I am glad that I work in this company. In two years I have learned a lot, studied the equipment and devices in detail, immersed myself in the technological process," says Ilnaz.

Artem Shusharin has worked at TAIF-NK JSC for more than 4 years, he got a job at the company after college. According to him, participation in the competition gives an incentive for further professional development.

“This is the first competition in my life. It's very exciting, the opponents are worthy. Everyone wants to win, to take a prize. I have the fifth category now, I hope that after the competition I will be able to raise to the sixth," the young man admits.

Along with experienced employees of TAIF-NK JSC, college students competed in The Best In Profession competition. For many, this is a great opportunity to show themselves. The students who have won prizes have every chance to get a job at an oil refinery in the future.

“My brother advised me to choose the profession of an instrument maker. He now works as a control and instrumentation engineer at one of the petrochemical enterprises of the city. This profession is good, it interested me, I like working with devices. In the future, I plan to get a job at TAIF-NK, where my friend now works. He invites me, he says — study and everything will work out for you!” notes 3rd year student Aydar Khamidullin.

“To be honest, it was hard”

After a hard struggle, it's time to announce the results of the professional competition The Best In Profession among the employees of TAIF-NK JSC. The official ceremony of awarding the winners took place in the assembly hall of the College of Petrochemistry and Oil Refining named after N.V. Lemaev.

“You tried to do your job as best as possible. There was a lot of confidence and skill in your actions. The work of the competition jury was also quite difficult. They had to make no mistake in determining the quality of the work performed," the hosts of the event addressed the contestants.

By the results of the competition in the competence of Instrument Maker, Artem Salmin from the Refinery won the third place, Ilnaz Tuktamyshev working at the HRCC won the second place, Vadim Pokhelyuk, a representative of the Gasoline Plant, won the first place.

“This is the first time I participate in this competition. My senior master insisted. He says — go try it, show your skills. The opponents were very serious, I met with some of them at advanced training. To be honest, it was hard. But I showed all my abilities. I am very pleased and glad," the winner of the competition in the competence of Instrument Maker, Vadim Pokhelyuk, admitted after the award ceremony.

Dmitry Zhuravlev from the Gasoline Plant won the third place in the competence of Electric and Gas Welder of manual arc welding with a non-melting tungsten electrode in the argon protective gas environment”, Bulat Nasibulin from the refinery was awarded the second degree diploma, Aynur Safin, working at the HRCC, won the first place.

“Unexpectedly! I didn't think I would win the first place. I guess I am a little luckier today than the others. The competition is very strong, everyone is a master of their craft. Everyone has a lot of experience working in production. I am very glad that I have become a winner. Thanks to the team for their support," Aynur Safin, the best argon-arc welder of TAIF-NK JSC, shared his impressions.

In the competence of the Welder of manual arc welding with a coated piece electrode, Damir Kubeev, an employee of the Refinery, won the third place, Artem Sukhanov from the HRCC won the second place, Rustem Khosnullin, a representative of the Refinery, won the first place.

“The impressions are unforgettable. I'm very glad. For me, winning the contest is a new impetus in my personal development. Two years ago, I was the second in the Alabuga Skills competition. This year, the first place in the corporate competition. We will do our best further!” says Rustem Khosnullin.

The winners and prize-winners of The Best In Profession contest will receive diplomas, memorable gifts and monetary remuneration. Besides, at the next meeting of the qualification commissions, the issue of assigning them the next category will be considered — if there are vacancies.

“In addition to the cash prize, the winner gets the opportunity to increase his rank. You don't have to look far for an example. Our laboratory assistant, who took 2nd place at the domestic and republican professional skills competition, now works as a chemical engineer. The welder who won a prize at the Tatarstan championship is already an acting master," Anton Tukhvatullin clarifies.

According to him, one of the main tasks of TAIF-NK JSC in relations with employees is the constant improvement of their qualifications in accordance with changing industrial and social conditions.

In addition to professional skill competitions, the company's employees annually undergo more than 10 thousand types of various trainings. Training, retraining, and advanced training of employees of the company's working specialties are carried out at the N.V. Lemaev College of Petrochemistry and Oil Refining. Lemaev.

“Any employee of TAIF-NK who has the appropriate education, practical experience, professional, business, personal and moral and ethical qualities necessary to fulfill the duties corresponding to the position can be a candidate for inclusion in the personnel reserve of the enterprise. The inclusion of an employee in the personnel reserve allows him to count on occupying a higher-paid position when a vacancy arise," says Anton Tukhvatullin, the head of the technical training group of TAIF-NK JSC.

From students to professionals

Considerable attention is also paid to the issues of adaptation of new employees. Professional adaptation consists in actively mastering the profession, acquiring the necessary professional skills and developing abilities.

The selection of employees in the company begins with a specialised secondary school or university. Graduates who have passed exams exclusively for 4 and 5 grades are accepted for work. To make the learning process from student to specialist more painless, TAIF-NK JSC introduced dual training. This is when a last-year student passes theory in college, and practice — at work. At the same time, an employment contract is concluded with him and wages are paid.

In fact, the student becomes part of the team. He has mentors who help him. As a result, by graduation, the company receives a trained, qualified specialist with all the skills necessary for work and development. This year, 35 students are interning at TAIF-NK JSC under the dual training system.