Published on: 2026-07-01
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
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Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and JSC “NPO Obukhov Plant” (part of Almaz-Antey Air and Space Defence Corporation) have launched a joint educational program for students majoring in “Mechatronics and Robotics.” Now, acquiring a vocational profession will be part of their curriculum. After completing summer internships at the enterprise, the students will receive certificates for the vocational profession “Radio-electronic Equipment and Devices Assembler.”
The project is being implemented with the support of the federal program “Priority-2030”.
A modern defense-industrial enterprise is not just about blueprints and theory. It requires specialists who know the device not only in theory but also are skilled at soldering, tuning, and repairing complex electronics.
Engineering knowledge of a graduate must necessarily be supported by applied competencies, such as the ability to work with hands, — believes the Executive Director, First Deputy General Director of JSC “NPO Obukhov Plant,” and head of the basic department “Robotic complexes for industrial and special purposes,” Irina Volokitina.
The project of SPbPU and the Obukhov Plant addresses a key task: to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real production. This is not an educational experiment, but an example of real integration of science, education, and industry.
“The project’s goal is to train an engineer who is ready to work immediately, —says Olga Matsko, Director of the Higher School of Automation and Robotics at SPbPU.There will be no need to retrain him at the factory or explain how to hold the tool. He will come with an understanding of both high-level robotics tasks and the specific component base.“.
Such specialists are needed today in the defense industry, civilian mechanical engineering, and robotics. With project scaling by 2030, the region will obtain a sustainable model for training personnel at the federal level.
The integration of a vocational profession into higher education takes place through the introduction of an elective module into the curriculum, which is mastered directly on the plant’s territory: theoretical knowledge is provided by the university, and applied competencies and working skills — by the enterprise. The program does not duplicate but deepens basic education.
The existing bachelor’s program in the field 15.03.06 “Mechatronics and Robotics” includes a specialized professional training module. Fundamental disciplines that students study at Polytech are automatically credited, which saves time and serves as a foundation for mastering the working profession. Obukhov Plant complements them with its own theoretical block on materials science and basics of radio electronics.
The main focus is on intensive practice: university theory is closely intertwined with hands-on experience at the enterprise. Students gain access to the plant’s laboratories and workshops, equipped with the same equipment as the real production shops, and classes are conducted by active professionals — technologists, installation engineers, and site supervisors, who immediately go over all the nuances of real work with the students.
The university and the plant’s future plans include reaching a stable output: at least 15 trained specialists per year. The model developed within the direction of “Mechatronics and Robotics” is planned to be replicated in other specialties as well. This is facilitated by the presence of the Obukhov Plant’s basic department within the structure of Polytech.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.