AlES and Satbayev University: betting on competitiveness of human resources

A good graduate of a technical university is one who has not only theoretical knowledge, but also full-fledged practical experience in production. Rector of Satbayev University Meiram Begentayev even came up with a formula for successful dual training for students of the Energy Department: 60 percent theory and 40 percent practice in production. The goal is achievable: on 14 October, a branch of the Energy Department of the university was inaugurated on the basis of the Personnel Training Department of Almaty Electric Stations JSC.

The solemn ceremony was held on the territory of AlES with the participation of managers and specialists of the company, teachers of Politech and Personnel Training Department. The opening of the department was a logical decision of partnership between the university and Almaty power engineers. The university and ALES have been cooperating in this matter for not the first year: many students had internships at Almaty stations, and graduates of the university work here. In turn, the company’s employees study or improve their qualifications at the university. Thus, the partners – teachers and production workers – realise the principles of dual training, which combines theoretical training in educational institutions and practical training on the basis of the enterprise.

This is not a tribute to fashion, but a mature solution due to the high pace of technological development. Industry 4.0 and digitalization require modern competences, continuous education, and competitiveness of specialists in the market. Today this trend is dominating in practice: re-equipment and modernization of AlES JSC assets is underway, and the requirements to personnel qualification are increasing accordingly. All this has become a serious justification for strengthening mutually beneficial partnership, whereby production becomes a base for practical training of students, and the university becomes a permanent base for training young personnel for the stations, a ‘supplier’ of highly qualified specialists.

Therefore, over the last few years, cooperation between the parties has evolved, acquiring program features and the status of strategic cooperation between AlES JSC and a number of educational institutions of the city. Among them is Satbayev University, with which back in April 2024 AlES, consolidating its intentions, signed a “Memorandum of mutual cooperation on mutual assistance in the development of training of engineering and technical personnel in demand at the production sites of the country, as well as the development of integration of education, science and business”.

The parties familiarized themselves with each other’s capabilities in detail and decided on the formats of cooperation. And the opening of a branch of the department, where the teachers will be power engineers with extensive practical experience, has brought the relationship between the parties to a new level.

– We are ready to take part in further development of engineering and technical professions of our country, – expanding the objectives of this partnership and welcoming the participants of the project, said the Chairman of the Board of JSC AlES Yerik Mashirov. – We have done a lot of preliminary work to open a branch of the department and trained our employees specifically to work with students. The first to express his intention was the director of our Kapshagaykaya HPP n.a. Sh.Chokin Murat Aktanovich Karimov. Murat Olzhabaev, deputy chief engineer of CHPP-3, our specialists of Personnel Training Department also joined to work with students. All of them have vast practical experience, which they will pass on to the students. We are ready to make every effort to achieve good results.

As emphasised by the representatives of AlES, future power engineers will receive knowledge from practicing professionals and will see real production with their own eyes, will be able to consolidate their theoretical knowledge and gain invaluable practical experience in the production workshops. Among the mentors and teachers of RPP will be both plant employees and retired power engineers with 30-40 years of practical experience in all specialties of power engineering. According to the university, practice at a large enterprise, at a real production facility, will increase the overall motivation of students, who will have a realistic idea of their future jobs and career growth potential.

Rector of Satbayev University Meiram Begentayev, who spoke at the opening ceremony, reminded that the university is one of the oldest in the country with vast experience in training technical specialists. This year Almaty Polytechnic, famous throughout Kazakhstan, will celebrate its 90th anniversary. Tens of thousands of specialists have been graduated over these years. They have made a huge contribution to the industrialization of the country, development of all sectors of the economy, including the energy sector.

– The energy industry contributes to the development of our economy more than other industries. As the energy industry develops, other enterprises will also develop. If the energy industry is not developed, it will be difficult for other industries to develop. Let’s continue to develop together with our university until we reach our scale, said Yerlan Sarsenbayev, Head of the Energy Department at Satbayev University.

The parties see great prospects for this partnership. Thus, Rector Meiram Begentayev reminded about the possibility of master’s and doctoral degree programs that can be synchronized with the company’s production activities. About energy practitioners with long experience, who can teach at the university as production professors, production professors. “Now you have an official department, you have all the opportunities to do science”, the rector emphasised.

But the practical benefits of co-operation for the energy company are not limited to this alone. The university, in particular, can watch, work out safety principles for the new CHPP-2, provide laboratories for research work, offer various formats of advanced training for working power engineers, offer lecture courses on the development of the industry.

The co-operation is certainly useful for AlES JSC as well, as the company will accept young personnel who already know the specifics of the enterprise, its equipment and facilities, who have tried themselves as trainees at real workplaces in a real production environment. Production, familiar to students not only from lectures and classes in the classroom, but also from practical classes and full-fledged work, will allow graduates to adapt to the working process faster, to enter the team more easily. This is very important.

Satbayev University attaches great importance to the event, believing that it marks an important step in the integration of education and production, creates unique opportunities for students in the field of energy, allows them to gain practical knowledge and skills necessary for work in real conditions.

“The department’s branch will operate on the principles of dual training, which combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills learnt directly in production. Students studying under this model will be able to master the intricacies of energy processes more deeply and adapt more quickly to the requirements of the profession”, the university said. – Students will get real work experience, which helps them to better understand theoretical concepts and apply knowledge in practice, graduates with work experience at the enterprise, graduates adapt more quickly to the working environment and corporate culture, which reduces the time for induction after employment”.

The cooperation between Satbayev University and AlES JSC is strategically important not only for the project partners, but also for the country’s economy as a whole, as these personnel will be practice-oriented and therefore in demand in the market. This is the result of dual training with the involvement of a real production base, which improves the quality of specialist training, making them more competitive and ready for the challenges of the modern labour market.