Belarusian nuclear power plant gets one third of university graduates majoring in nuclear industry

MINSK, 28 October (BelTA) – Around one third of the graduates majoring in nuclear industry professions get jobs at the Belarusian nuclear power plant. Nikolai Maruda, a consultant of the Higher Education Office of the Central Office for Vocational Education of the Belarusian Education Ministry, made the statement during a roundtable session hosted by BelTA on 28 October.

According to the source, about 500 students continue studying nuclear industry professions at present. Over 950 specialists were trained in five main specializations in 2013-2020. A third of them have been given jobs at the construction site and with the company in charge of operating the Belarusian nuclear power plant. Another third now work at organizations relating to nuclear energy and sources of ionizing radiation. Another third now work in allied industries.

About 100 students majoring in nuclear industry specializations graduated in 2020. The Belarusian nuclear power plant gave jobs to 32 graduates, including 14 graduates of the Belarusian National Technical University. Nikolai Maruda noted this university is the primary source of graduates, who are later employed by the Belarusian nuclear power plant.

“The number of specialists trained by Belarusian universities has allowed fully satisfying needs of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. At present the nuclear power plant has most of the operating personnel it needs,” Nikolai Maruda stated.

Nuclear industry specialists are now trained as part of the subprogram on training nuclear energy industry personnel of the government program on education and youth policy for the 2016-2020 period. According to Nikolai Maruda, the training of such specialists will continue as part of a new subprogram for the 2021-2025 period. The new specialists are needed in order to replenish personnel of the Belarusian nuclear power plant and the entire nuclear energy infrastructure every year.

Heads of the universities that train nuclear industry personnel and the employers that need such personnel (the Energy Ministry, the Emergencies Ministry, and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus) have suggested that the training of specialists in five main specializations should continue and 20 people should be admitted to the universities to study the professions at the expense of the state budget every year. The universities will still be able to admit additional students, who can pay for their education.

Apart from that, the Minsk State Energy College will train 30 people majoring in power plants every year at the expense of the state budget.

The measures will allow creating a manpower reserve of about 500 people, they will graduate in 2025-2030, Nikolai Maruda said.

Plans have been made to continue training professors for the universities as part of the new program. Career enhancement opportunities and internship opportunities will be offered to personnel of the Energy Ministry, the Emergencies Ministry, and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.