AlES JSC realises the strategy of continuous education in practice
Since the beginning of the current year, more than two thousand employees of the Company have been trained in the Personnel Training Department of AlES JSC. Including 1646 workers and 421 engineers and technicians.
Power engineering is one of those industries where continuous training, qualification confirmation, improvement and renewal of equipment are not just a necessity, but also a guarantee of production safety. That is why AlES JSC has a multilevel system of personnel training and education for all categories of employees – from a worker to a top manager.
They are trained not only in the Personnel Training Department, but also in profile educational structures and organizations. Among the Сompany’s partners are Gumarbek Daukeev Almaty University of Power Engineering and Communications, Satbayev University, Al-Farabi KazNU, Almaty State College of Power Engineering and Electronic Technologies. Since the beginning of the year, 4 464 people have been involved in various forms of training.
– Taking into account the complex technological nature and ongoing modernisation of the company’s production assets, as well as high safety requirements, we have made the issues of improving the professionalism and competence of our personnel a priority,’ says Zhanna Sapargaliyeva, Head of the Human Resources Department of AlES JSC. – Thus, back in 2007 we created the Personnel Training Department to meet the needs for qualified personnel. Its specialists carry out advanced training in the main energy labour professions and industrial safety. The Personnel Training Department is taught by the Company’s specialists as well as retirees who have previously worked in the industry and have vast practical experience and theoretical knowledge. In this way, the training is carried out closer to production, which allows for better preparation of the workforce for labour. The personnel policy is aimed at creating conditions for the full development of personnel, strengthening and maintaining a high level of professional qualification of employees. We value in our employees the desire to achieve results, which they demonstrate at their workplaces, as well as their readiness to work in a team and take responsibility. Therefore, we support their aspirations to improve in their profession and attach importance to rewarding their labour in terms of performance.
Every year, the company provides advanced training for several thousand people. Thus, in 2023, 5,299 employees of AlES JSC were trained. Among them, 2,781 people underwent professional training in the Personnel Training Department of the Human Resources Department. 2,428 employees received advanced training in third-party organizations, and language training – 90 employees. Of the employees trained in 2023, 367 are women. Thus, 227 employees of Company have been trained in Almaty University of Power Engineering and Communication, Almaty State College of Power Engineering and Electronic Technologies since 2007, and 10 employees were trained there in 2023. In 2024, 2 067 employees have already been trained in the Personnel Training Department.
The Company’s personnel development system provides for professional development programs in accordance with production needs and strategic goals on the basis of the Personnel Training Department, the training site of Energoremont and external educational institutions. In the course of training, training manuals on electrical safety, general electrical engineering, developed and translated into the state language, are used here. The personnel training department also conducts refresher courses on basic energy topics, with the issuance of certificates.
Training at the training centre allows us to conduct training under specialised exclusive programmes that take into account the specifics and needs of production. Such targeted training increases the professionalism of employees and the competitiveness of the company. The teachers are specialists with a long practical work experience, including retirees who have worked for many years in the power industry, mainly in the structures of AlES JSC and have a high level of qualification. Teaching is conducted on the main energy working professions and industrial safety requirements, according to the Law of RK “On Civil Protection”.
Among the teachers is Tatiana Andreyevna Solodilova, who worked forforty years at CHPP-3 (State District PowerStation ) – from 1976 to 2016. It’s been 8 years now, since shortly after her retirement,when she retrained from engineer to teacher.Her track record inspires respect andconfirms her high level of qualification: design technician, then –engineer for metal and welding control at the technical maintenance department, senior inspector for occupational health and safety.
When Tatyana Solodilova was offered this job, she accepted it almost without hesitation. She teaches her students such disciplines and topics as civil protection and specialised rules of industrial safety in the operation of hoisting machinery; in the operation of lifts; in the operation of pressure equipment; in the operation of compressor stations and much more.
– During my work in the power system, I have acquired extensive knowledge that I would like to share with my staff and young employees,’ says Tatyana Andreyevna. – I had to conduct personnel training before, when I was working as a senior inspector. So I was familiar with this work, and I like it. But it is understandable that when it becomes your main profession, the responsibility increases and there is a need to constantly track changes, monitor events and innovations in the industry. That is why every training course requires serious self-preparation. You need to constantly read laws, regulations, requirements, constantly monitor changes in them. But even this is not enough: when conducting training it is necessary to interest the trainees, to find the key to each group and to each trainee. After all, each group, as well as each person, is individual. But I am always interested in working with people. My courses are aimed at training and retraining employees of production facilities, on such issues and requirements of safety, as safety during fire works, with the observance of measures for hand protection; safety during works with the use of machines, mechanisms and the use of ladders. My lessons also include points emphasising the observance of industrial sanitation and hygiene at the workplace, disclose algorithms of investigation of accidents at work, their detailed analysis of causes and consequences.
Drawing on her own experience, the Labour Code, departmental and corporate regulations, she strives to convey the essence of the subject matter and ensure that the knowledge is absorbed by the trainees. She teaches various categories of company employees: engineering technician from all production divisions, workers, technical inspectors for industrial safety and labour protection.
She teaches and strictly asks questions the way her mentors Valentin Mikhailovich Nemichev and Lyuaza Usmanovna Bulakhova once taught her. Anatoly Mikhailovich Skripkin works in the Personnel Training Department with the same responsibility. At one time he was the head – chief engineer of the line – assembly section of Iliyskaya raiselkhoztechnika, held engineering positions in other organisations, worked as a senior foreman and deputy head of Fuel and Transport Workshop of HPP-3. It is noteworthy that his mentor in his time was Tatiana Solodilova.
Anatoly Mikhailovich has been teaching for six years at the PPO. His training course includes such topics as industrial safety training for personnel working at hazardous production facilities, safety rules for the operation of lifting equipment, the operation of aerial towers, and compressor stations. He also trains trainees in the rules for ensuring safety and labour protection when working at heights.
– I worked at CHPP-3 for ten years as a senior foreman and deputy head of the Fuel and Transport Shop. The experience is quite extensive. Therefore, there was a natural desire to share it and pass on my knowledge to the younger generation, personnel of JSC departments in order to improve their qualifications, – says Anatoly Mikhailovich. – We have to work with employees of various production facilities. But the principles of safety requirements are common: both when carrying out excavation works and when carrying out works with the use of machines and mechanisms. The requirements of industrial sanitation and hygiene at the workplace are the same for all, as are the principles and approaches to the investigation of accidents at work. Despite the fact that this is a relatively new field of activity for me, it is not difficult for me to work: there are developed programmes, there are training manuals, exam tickets. All the classes and interactions with departmental personnel are very interesting and informative for me. After all, there are many competent and well-trained specialists among my trainees who have a lot to share on these issues.
Galina Sergeyevna Suminova has worked in the boiler shop of CHPP-1 named after B.Orazbayev for 41 years. She worked her way up from boiler operator to deputy head of the boiler shop. In 2015 she retired and almost immediately she was invited to teach at the Personnel Training Department. Galina Sergeevna has a huge industrial experience of working with the boiler shop personnel, and her total work experience in AlES JSC is 50 years. Galina Sergeevna trains labourers of steam and hot-water boiler operators, boiler equipment operators, fuel supply maintenance operators, etc. For six years it has been training students of OJSC AUES named after G.Dukeev under the dual training system.
AlES JSC pays increased attention not only to theory, but also to the development of practical skills in the profession. Thus, for this purpose, a specialised Welding Range was created in PRC Energoremont.
– Qualified specialists are engaged in initial training of gas cutters and electric manual arc welders, and also conduct annual recertification at the testing ground, says Tatiana Vlasova, Leading Engineer of the Metals and Welding Service of Energoremont PRC. – In 2023, recertification of 160 gas cutters, 121 certified welders, and initial training for 14 electric welders, 19 gas cutters were carried out. We also hold an annual competition among electric welders and gas cutters for the title of the best in the profession. This is a strong incentive for workers to strive for excellence in their profession.
The co-operation of AlES JSC in this sphere with educational institutions of Almaty has also become effective. Thus, thanks to social partnership agreements with the Almaty University of Power Engineering and Communications named after G.Daukeev and the Almaty State College of Power Engineering and Electronic Technologies, their students undergo practical training. G. Daukeyev Almaty University of Power Engineering and Communications and Almaty State College of Power Engineering and Electronic Technologies, their students undergo industrial practice at AlES JSC. In particular, 88 students of G. Daukeyev Almaty University of Power Engineering and Communications and Almaty State College of Power Engineering and Electronic Technologies have undergone industrial practice in the Company. G.Daukeev and Almaty State College of Power Engineering and Electronic Technologies. The students of the university practiced on the basis of CHPP-1 n.a. B.Orazbayev and the Company’s Personnel Training Department in the following working specialties: boiler equipment bypass operator and turbine equipment bypass operator. Since 2018, a total of 166 students have undergone practical training with elements of dual training.
In order to raise interest in the profession, excursions are organised for schoolchildren, students and teachers of the College of Energy and Electronic Technologies, Suleiman Demirel University, Kazakh-German University, Kazakh National Research Technical University named after K.I. Satpayev, Dostyk LLP, Branch of NIS of Physics and Mathematics and Kazakh Zaman School. 177 students and teachers have already attended the excursions.
The approach to personnel development at AlES JSC fully corresponds to the modern concept of lifelong learning (LLL – lifelong learning), which implies continuous development of professional skills that does not stop throughout life. The concept was proposed by UNESCO and today proves its relevance. At least, the experience of Almaty power engineers testifies to the effectiveness and relevance of this approach.
– Starting from “distant approaches”, we thus prepare potential specialists for our company, – concludes Zhibek Kurmangali, Acting Head of the Personnel Training Department of JSC AlES. – After all, early career guidance lays the interest of young people to the future profession, allows them to focus on the main things, to study with purpose. And purposefulness is a good basis for success in profession and life. And we want such motivated people to come to work for us. We, in our turn, will support this aspiration, helping them to improve in their chosen profession by all means available to us.