Published on: 2026-07-02
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University continues to develop the personnel training system for the real economy sector — from engineering education and additional professional education programs to training for in-demand working professions. One of the significant projects of 2026 was the implementation of professional training programs for members of Russian student brigades.Based on the results of the competitive selectionSPbPU has received the right to offer training in 11 in-demand vocational professions.
From April to June 2026, more than 250 members of student brigades were trained at SPbPU. The programs covered a wide range of professions: concrete worker, reinforcement worker, electrician, slinger, construction painter, electrician fitter, welder, installer of steel and reinforced concrete structures, plasterer, and photographer. The classes were built on the principle of maximum immersion in the specialty — theoretical lectures alternated with many hours of practice in workshops, where future workers practiced techniques until automatic.
Thus, concrete workers and reinforcement installers manually mixed the compounds, placed them into the formwork, tied reinforcement meshes and frames, studying the nuances of working with heavy materials. Electricians and mechanics analyzed the diagrams of lighting installations, transformers, and switching devices, with a special emphasis on electrical safety. Slingers practiced impeccable load harnessing and signaling to the crane operator—skills crucial for safety on any construction site. Painters and plasterers mastered modern compositions and application technologies, as well as surface cleaning and etching. Welders became familiar with manual arc welding modes, and assemblers with the standards for installing steel and reinforced concrete elements. A crucial part of all the programs was the occupational safety and industrial security module: instructors discussed real cases and action algorithms in emergency situations with the students.
Practical sessions were conducted not only in the Polytechnic’s training laboratories but also at the Petrovsky College as part of network cooperation. This made it possible to use unique equipment and simulators that closely replicate real production conditions, as well as to learn from the experience of vocational training masters who prepare specialists for various industries on a daily basis.
For SPbPU, the training of skilled workers is not a one-time project but one of the systematic areas of work. Alongside training participants of the Russian student brigades, the university implements professional training and additional professional education programs within the framework of the national project “Personnel.” These are dozens of programs developed jointly with employers and focused on the real needs of enterprises, including professional training programs for skilled trades.
Upon successful completion of the qualification exam, all participants received certificates of the established format, granting the right to officially work in the obtained specialty. The students demonstrated not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills — many exam tasks simulated real production operations, and the committee highly appreciated the level of training.
At the end of June, a solemn certificate awarding ceremony took place. The significance of the completed project for the region and the university itself was commented on by Dmitry Tikhonov, the Vice-Rector for Continuing and Pre-University Education at SPbPU. He emphasized the results and joint contribution to the city’s workforce development: Today, Polytech develops workforce training at all levels — from skilled trades to additional professional education programs for engineers and company managers. This comprehensive approach allows for a prompt response to economic demands. Over 250 members of student squads will be able to apply the knowledge gained in practice this summer. We will continue to develop this direction — both in partnership with Russian student squads and within national projects, expanding the opportunities for practice-oriented training and responding to the economy’s real needs for qualified personnel.
Now more than 250 young workers are ready to apply their skills in the summer work season — at municipal facilities, construction teams, energy enterprises, and service departments. For many of them, this is not only their first paycheck but also a significant foundation for their future professional trajectory, as well as an opportunity to enter the personnel reserve of leading companies in the Northwest. The project has shown that cooperation between universities, colleges, and student teams can quickly meet the economy’s demand for skilled personnel, and Polytechnic intends to continue this work in the new academic year.
SPbPU serves as an example that the headquarters of educational organizations in our city and other regional branches look up to. A systematic approach, openness to experiments, and deep involvement of teachers — this is what truly makes the training of fighters high-quality, — noted Alexandra Zemtsova, head of the press service of the St. Petersburg Regional Office of the Russian Student Teams.
The experience of project implementation has confirmed that a modern technical university is capable of effectively training specialists at all levels — from skilled workers to engineers and managers. Combining its own educational capabilities, resources of partner organizations, and the demands of employers, SPbPU is forming a modern system of practice-oriented staff training that is in demand by key sectors of the economy. The development of training for working professions will remain one of the priority directions.
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