OREANDA-NEWS. December 18, 2012. DTEK and KYEVENERGO have given equipment to three laboratories of the National Technical University of Ukraine ‘Kyiv Polytechnic Institute’ (NTUU KPI). The new equipment will help the university students get high-quality technical education that meets the present-day world standards. The laboratory power equipment fully matches the cutting-edge technologies used in real production environment. The cost of the equipment for the three laboratories amounted to about UAH 700 thousand. By 2014, the three-year integrated program on the update of the material and technical facilities of KPI will total UAH 1.5 million.

 The equipment for the Thermal Energy Faculty of theInstitute for Energy Saving and Energy Management and the Faculty of Electrical Power Equipment of KPI has been provided within the framework of the project ‘Cooperation with Higher Educational Establishments in the Regions of DTEK’s Operations’ that the Company has been implementing since 2009. Today, DTEK cooperates with four leading technical universities of Ukraine: NTUU KPI, Donetsk National Technical University, National Mining University (Dnipropetrovsk) and National University Lviv Polytechnic.

 “Up-to-date education as one of the factors contributing to Ukraine’s stable development is one of the most important aspects of DTEK’s social cooperation activities. We understand that we will not be able to ensure efficient development without highly-qualified personnel. We constantly upgrade our networks and substations, retrofit thermal power plants, introduce modern technologies. This means that technical specialists employed by our companies must be well-informed of the latest developments. DTEK’s cooperation with higher educational establishments will help us narrow the gap between science and business, as well as raise the competitive advantages of Ukrainian graduates in the labour market,” said Aleksandr Kucherenko, HR Director of DTEK.

 ‘When DTEK became a strategic investor, KYIVENERGO was assigned with an ambitious task to create a European-level utility company in the capital city. Only highly-qualified professionals can develop the company and ensure reliable operation of the Kiev power sector. This is why KYIVENERGO, having joined DTEK’s program of cooperation with higher educational establishments, supports development of the material and technical facilities of Kyiv Polytechnic university as one of the best universities in the country training high-class professionals for the power industry,” said Sergey Gerenko, HR Director of KIEVENERGO.

 “Thanks to modern computers and software complexes from leading foreign and domestic manufacturers and advanced measurement equipment, now our students have a unique opportunity to develop their theoretical and practical skills, to physically model processes at the equipment that companies actually use in their operations. I am sure that cooperation with DTEK and KYIVENERGO will make it possible for our university to introduce innovative educational and applied projects and programs. This means we will be able to train highly skilled young power industry professionals,’ said the first pro-rector of NTUU KPI Yuriy Yakimenko.

 One of the key areas of DTEK’s cooperation with universities is extension of areas for university theoretical studies taking into account modern technologies applied at the enterprises of DTEK. Each year, the company selects students who are in the fifth year of studies in our partner universities to be trained in the specialised DTEK-sponsored groups. Apart from the compulsory educational program, such students undergo additional in-plant training at DTEK’s enterprises, in particular, at KYIVENERGO. After graduation, the best students will have the opportunity to find jobs at DTEK’s companies.

 Annually, at least 200 KPI students undergo practical training at the facilities of KYIVENERGO. Many employees of the company are former graduates of the university. In 2011, KYIVENERGO decided to grant scholarships to eight best KPI students majoring in power engineering.