The Russian minerals industry is facing an acute shortage of qualified engineers. According to the rector of the Mining University Vladimir Litvinenko, 90% of industrial facilities today are created without the necessary engineering support. These alarming statistics point to a systemic crisis in workforce training.
Every year the sector requires up to 20,000 new specialists, however, this demand cannot be met. Over the past two decades, the country has lost effective mechanisms for practical training of students. A serious problem remains the high percentage of expulsions from specialized universities, and graduates often do not meet the real requirements of production.
The labor market has already felt the consequences of this shortage. Large companies are ready to offer promising graduates competitive working conditions and high salaries. According to some estimates, by 2030 the cost of hiring one qualified engineer could reach $100,000. This situation demonstrates a critical shortage of personnel and threatens the implementation of strategic projects in the mining industry.
As a solution to the problem, Vladimir Litvinenko proposes to create a state rating universities. The assessment should be based on a sectoral principle, which will allow an objective comparison of the quality of training of specialists for key sectors of the economy. This approach will stimulate healthy competition between educational institutions and will raise the bar of education.
The key step should be the restoration of the institution of industrial practice. It is necessary to establish a strong connection between educational programs and the real needs of enterprises. Students should gain practical experience directly in production, which will allow them to adapt faster after graduation.
Solving the personnel crisis in the mineral resources complex is a strategic task for the entire country. Investments in high-quality engineering education and close cooperation between universities and industry will ensure technological sovereignty and sustainable development of one of the most important sectors of the Russian economy. The future of mining and mineral processing depends on what measures are taken today.
Source: @gorprom
