ARKHANGELSK, November 22. /TASS/. The discharged military, who retire early, and veterans as well as those who move to Russia under the program to welcome compatriots, are invited to work on investment projects in the country’s Arctic regions. According to Director of Human Resources Department at the Corporation for Development of the Far East and Arctic Gasan Gasanbalayev, this approach could be a solution of the human resources’ problem in the Russian Arctic zone.
"The demand in human resources makes us search for alternative options, and this is why we have approached even military units. <…> Those, who are about to finish the military service, move at the expense of employers, get trained and begin working <…>. There is another category - the discharged and the veterans of the law enforcement units, who also retire quite early, at the age of 40, and are happy to receive new skills, to learn and to get employed. <…> Our compatriots, who live in the former Soviet Union, are ready to move, ready to obtain the Russian citizenship. They are also a wonderful resource to satisfy the demand, which exists in investment projects [in the Arctic]," he told a conference in Arkhangelsk, which was devoted to attracting the labor force to the Arctic.
From the Armed Forces to the Arctic
According to Alexei Kozlov of the Our Arctic autonomous non-governmental organization, the organization’s task is to inform servicemen about the options of working in the Arctic zone. "Let me speak about the example of Norilsk Nickel, which has agreed a program with the Defense Ministry and the Ministry for Development of the Far East and Arctic. Under this program, the working conditions are very attractive," he said. "Whenever we say the average wages are 100,000 [rubles] ($1,400) [a month], plus free training and free traveling to Norilsk, people are happy to go."
The expert pointed to the task, set by President Vladimir Putin, to invite to 2024 to work in the Arctic 30,000 people. "I believe, by using the resources of the military, we will meet the objective by about 30-40%," he added.
Labor mobility
Gasanbalayev spoke about a rather positive experience of the Labor Mobility program, which continues in the Far East since 2015. The state may pay to an employer up to 1 million rubles ($13,700) per every attracted employee.
About 80% of specialists, who have moved under the program, remain in the Far East, the expert said. "The program may be effective in the Arctic zone, too," he continued. "The financial support in the Far East has been raised from 225,000 to 1 million rubles. As for the Arctic, we have been negotiating it with the Ministry of Labor [and Social Support], as we want to offer similar incentives."
Complex specialists
Director General of the Regional Consulting Institute and Director of the Center for Economy of the North and Arctic Alexander Pilyasov told the conference that Arctic projects, namely those with poor transport communication, do not use the system of narrow specialists, which has been popular in big cities or densely populated areas.
In the Arctic, he said, of bigger demand are specialists skilled in various areas. "My suggestions are as follows: we acknowledge that people working on Arctic projects must combine competences," he continued. "Training of technical specialists simultaneously with two or three basic skills, required for the regions with limited terms’ supplies, such as the regions where the Arctic investment projects are being implemented. And, thirdly, the incentives for companies so that they followed this ideology."
The session’s moderator, Director of the Gekon consulting company, Mikhail Grigoryev, added this approach must be implemented at educational institutions. "While speaking about educational standards, when we eye the Arctic region as a frontier, there must be deeper training, which could include more directions and bigger skills," he added.
Ordering specialists
Senator Alexander Akimov pointed to the remaining tendency, where the training of specialists at universities and colleges does not satisfy the demand from the economy.
The Arkhangelsk Region, for example, reports a shortage of electric and gas welders, mechanics and dockworkers. The region has to invite dockworker teams from other regions, where they are also of high demand and certain shortage. "This morning I have learned about the decision to drop the state standard in training dock mechanics. <…> This year, we have groups of students, who will learn to be dock mechanics. But next year we will not have such students," Sergei Smirnov of the Sozvezdiye Association of Oil and Gas Industry Suppliers said.
The Arkhangelsk Region’s deputy prime minister, Viktor Ikonnikov, presented positive examples of cooperation between businesses and educational institutions. In Severodvinsk, students at the Northern Arctic Federal University are confident they will be employed with shipbuilding companies.
The region’s wood processing businesses help colleges with modern equipment. He told the conference about the Woodcutter 21 Century festival. "When competing to become champions, the young people demonstrate very good results. Over recent years, the effectiveness has grown by 15-20%. Another effect is that the profession’s prestige is growing," he said.