OREANDA-NEWS. Under the cooperation agreement concluded between Russian Helicopters (a subsidiary of Oboronprom, part of State Corporation Rostec) and the government of the Russian Republic of Buryatia, Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (a Russian Helicopters company) is implementing an investment project to kit out the Aviation Technical College, formerly part of Ulan-Ude Engineering Teaching College, with the latest laboratory equipment. The Aviation Technical College was spun off fr om Ulan-Ude Engineering Teaching College in early 2014 under an Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant initiative. The educational institution will train sector specialists, technicians and design technicians who may go on to work with the company.

“Russian Helicopters is continuing to modernise production capacity, boosting efficiency across all its companies and improving product quality. The modernisation programmes currently being implemented must undoubtedly be accompanied by efforts to attract highly qualified staff, which in turn requires investment in improving facilities, educational approaches used in specialised educational institutions in regions wh ere we have a presence,” said Russian Helicopters HR and Development Director Evgeny Kuzmenkov.

“One of our key tasks today is attracting young people to work in the helicopter industry and investing in the professional education on offer to young specialists,” said Leonid Belykh Managing Director at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant. “Recent years have seen great strides in production technology. Modernisation at the plant is well underway, and the latest machinery is used in helicopter production. It is imperative that young specialists know how to work with these tools. That is why it is vital that they have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with this modern equipment during their studies, so that when they graduate they can enter the workplace with relevant knowledge and go on to further hone their professional skills.”

Implementing the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant's project to improve facilities at the technical college will help significantly improve students' understanding of their specialism, thereby cutting the time it takes them to adapt to the workplace after graduation. The technical college's best students will not only gain an opportunity to work at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, they will also stand a better chance of continuing their engineering graduate studies at East Siberia State University of Technology and Management, under an agreement signed with the Aviation Technical College.

An agreement between Buryatia's government and Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant about this investment in retooling, and major repairs and renovation work to the Aviation Technical College's building is currently being drawn up. It is anticipated that Russian Helicopters will invest 50 million roubles in the project, and that Buryatia will match that sum.