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A major goal of the HR Policy of Joint-Stock Company “Almaz - Antey” Air and Space Defence Corporation (hereinafter referred to as the Corporation) is to meet the existing and long-term requirements for highly qualified and motivated personnel. In order to reach this goal, the Corporation’s enterprises have established and are maintaining partnering relations with 64 higher educational institutions, with 52 institutions being the flagship ones. With these educational institutions, contracts (agreements) have been concluded on cooperation in the field of training specialists with higher education, organization of all types of practical and field training, upgrading of the employees’ qualification, participation in scientific research and holding of joint events. In 16 flagship educational institutions, the Corporation’s enterprises have established 33 basic departments, where specialists are trained in the disciplines (professions) corresponding to the Corporation’s production needs.
In 2018, 3244 students received training in 92 sponsored educational programs in the Corporation’s flagship educational institutions. Sponsored education and basic departments have proven to be an effective tool for training highly qualified and motivated young specialists. In July 2018, the Corporation has opened its basic department of Technologies for the Design of Complex Technical Systems at Aerodynamics and Flight Engineering Faculty of Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT).
Nevertheless, the mechanisms of making sponsored programs attractive to talented and motivated applicants, who can gain significantly more scientific and practical knowledge and skills during their studies in an educational institution, need to be improved. Due to individual approach, such students, by the time they graduate, are ready to solve complex and most advanced interdisciplinary tasks that take the majority of young specialists several years to study immediately in the working environment. The best school graduates often have little interest in sponsored education and subsequent work at the military-industrial complex enterprises. One of possible reasons may be the lack of information on the full scope, importance and complexity of scientific and technological tasks, solved inter alia at the Corporation’s enterprises.
An effective way to make education at basic departments sponsored by the Corporation attractive to talented and motivated pupils is the cooperation with All-Russian Career Guidance Forum “ProeKTOriA” (hereinafter referred to as the Forum).
It should be noted that by “talented and motivated pupils” the authors mean pupils who are interested in scientific learning, who are ready to solve the tasks that are more difficult than those included in the school curricula, i. e., the winners of academic competitions, scientific, technical, and other projects.
By the order of the President of the Russian Federation, All-Russian Career Guidance Forum “ProeKTOriA” (formerly called “Future Intellectual Leaders of Russia”) has been held since 2013.
The event’s main speakers and guests of honour include the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation Kiriyenko S. V, the Minister of Education of the Russian Federation Vasilyeva O.Yu.
The Forum is annually attended by more than 500 pupils from 85 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. These pupils are the winners of international and all-Russian academic competitions, contests in scientific and technical creativity; besides, among attendees are the representatives of leading Russian educational institutions, heads of large state corporations and companies: SC “Rostec”, SC “Rosatom”, GC “R-Pharm”, JSC “Russian Railways”, NRC “Kurchatov Institute”, SC “Roscosmos”, JSC “Rusnano”, PJSC “Rostelecom”, Mail.Ru Group, PJSC “Rosseti”, etc.
The Forum program includes discussions, academic lectures, as well as project activities aimed at solving engineering tasks (cases) in several areas: health, safety, materials, motion, energy, space technologies, etc.
For the first time, the Corporation attended the Forum in 2015, after which the management has decided to continue cooperation with the event organizers.
Annually, the experts represented by a team of young scientists of the Science and Engineering Board established by “Science and education centre of aerospace defence “Almaz - Antey” named after Academician V P. Efremov” (hereinafter referred to as the SEC SEB), develop engineering cases for the schoolchildren; these cases include adapted elements of typical tasks solved by the Corporation. The experts work with a team of pupils at the Forum venue during three (or two) days to solve an engineering case. This format makes it possible to address several important tasks. The experts have an opportunity to assess the pupils’ level of subject training, their erudition and comprehensive knowledge, motivation and efficiency, skills of information search, teamwork, and public speaking skills. Based on the results of case presentation to the jury, the winners, i. e., the most talented pupils, are determined. While being guided by the experts, pupils gain practical experience in solving a complex and seemingly unsolvable engineering task. Joint activities, meaningful communication with competent representatives of a large company and overall atmosphere of the event contribute to cultivating pupils’ interest in the education sponsored by the Corporation, with employment prospects. Besides, work on solving cases is aimed at developing pupils’ engineering competencies.
The Forum business program also includes popular science lectures. The topics of lectures presented by the Corporation’s scientists change every year, however, they are always consistent with the objective of informing pupils about the specifics of the Corporation’s activity, its evolvement, and youth policy implemented at the enterprises.
Thus, career guidance carried out at the Forum venue is comprehensive. The substantial part of this work is carried out by direct customers, i. e., by the managers, whose departments require well- trained and motivated young specialists.
A description of the engineering cases that were offered to pupils starting from 2016 is given below.
Engineering case “Extraction of minerals, exploration of adjacent and deep space objects” (2016). The Corporation presented its engineering case at Forum 2016 within the framework of technical cluster “Space Technologies”.
Pupils were offered a futuristic project of a possible future clash of civilizations caused by conflicts over the resources of adjacent and deep space. It is true that over hundreds of years of resource extraction on Earth, humanity has already depleted everything that could be extracted effortlessly, and it is possible that, at some point, it may become necessary to extract minerals in space. Almost every object of Solar System - from relatively small asteroids to the Sun - has the potential of extracting minerals. Different planets and asteroids contain gold, cobalt, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, osmium, palladium, platinum, rhenium, rhodium, ruthenium, and other metals, as well as hydrous minerals which can be the sources for obtaining water, oxygen, and hydrogen. Besides, some planets and asteroids contain large amounts of helium-3 isotope, which is considered to be a promising fuel for controlled thermonuclear reactions.
The two-day intensive work completed by the Corporation’s team of pupils (Fig. 1) resulted in the presentation “Extraction of minerals, exploration of adjacent and deep space objects”, which included a draft of a comprehensive national program for the industrial development of Solar System asteroids using Mars as an intermediate transportation and extraction station.
Fig. 1. Corporation’s team members at Forum “ProeKTOriA” in 2016
Apparent complexity of the subject matter has required the team members to elaborate in detail the solution of the following tasks:
The expected social-and-economic effects of implementation of the proposed project were announced separately:
The results of work carried out at Forum 2016 allowed to conclude that an engineering case dedicated to a general and broad topic is a subject of great interest to the participants (it gives pupils an opportunity to get creative and demonstrate their comprehensive knowledge), but it does not allow for selection of potential students for the sponsored programs. In order to address this problem, it is necessary to understand how pupils manage to solve specific engineering tasks; and consequently, it was decided to change the range of case topics.
Engineering case “Synthesis of the concept image of infrastructure and prospective delivery vehicles for the adjacent space exploration” (2017). In 2017, the Corporation again presented a case in cluster “Space Technologies” (Fig. 2). Within the framework of the Forum, it was decided to demonstrate that work on space-related issues is one of the promising areas of activity of the Corporation’s enterprises. Moreover, the Corporation has never steered clear of this subject. For example, Saint Petersburg Design Bureau of Special Machine-Building is the developer of a umbilical tower for Angara family of launch vehicles at Plesetsk Cosmodrome. But space-related issues have gained particular relevance once the President of the Russian Federation V. V. Putin had signed a decree on renaming the “Almaz-Antey” Air Defence Corporation to the “Almaz-Antey” Air and Space Defence Corporation on February 5, 2015. In addition, in February 2015, in accordance with the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Kometa Corporation of Special-Purpose Space Systems became part of the Corporation.
Fig. 2. Corporation’s presentation poster at Forum “ProeKTOriA” in 2017
The relevance of the topic of the Corporation’s case also derived from the provisions of the Russian Federal Space Program for 2016-2025. The program involves implementation of activities aimed at intensive research and exploration of adjacent space, including placement of the spacecraft on a trajectory of flight to the Moon. In this regard, the case topic was as follows: “Synthesis of the concept image of infrastructure and prospective delivery vehicles for the adjacent space exploration”.
The representatives of the Corporation’s delegation led by the General Director Ya. V. Novikov successfully presented the engineering case to V. V. Putin (Fig. 3).
Fig. 3. V. V. Putin talks with the Corporation’s team members at the V All-Russian Forum “ProeKTOriA”
The format of the case involved work on numerous specific engineering and technical tasks, the solutions of which should be generalized into a comprehensive result in the end. In the course of work, pupils solved the following tasks:
Fig. 4. Estimated trajectory of LV during flight to the Moon calculated by pupils
At the end of the Forum, the obtained results are analysed. Each subsequent year, the career guidance of pupils is modified, extended, and expanded. In 2017, interaction with the pupils was continued outside the Forum venue. The essence and results of this work are presented below.
Engineering case “Designing counterweapons for aerodynamic targets using supercomputer technologies” (2018). During preparation for participation in Forum 2018, the results of previous years were taken into account, on the basis of which the following changes were made:
Although the Corporation once again worked in cluster “Space Technologies”, it was decided to offer pupils a case on the topic of “Designing counter-weapons for aerodynamic targets using supercomputer technologies”, which involved mathematical modelling of the process of destruction of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by the fragmentation field of an anti-aircraft missile.
Based on the analysis of existing UAVs and anti-aircraft guided missiles, the case objective was as follows:
The case solution involved sequential fulfilment of the following steps:
Fig. 5. Part of software implementation of a mathematical model of UAV destruction, coded by pupils
The chosen engineering task allowed to assess subject training and comprehensive knowledge of every pupil, as well as to select the most talented pupils as candidates for sponsored education (Fig. 6).
Fig. 6. Teamwork on the Corporation’s case at Forum “ProeKTOriA” in 2018
The successful experience obtained during participation in the Forum by the senior pupils of schools sponsored by the Corporation’s enterprises, immersion into the content of an engineering task contributed to cultivating pupils’ interest in sponsored education and the prospects of employment in the Corporation. This is confirmed by the survey results: 80 % of the total number of team members noted that they are interested in cooperation with the Corporation.
Thus, Forum “ProeKTOriA” is a platform that gives an opportunity for the Corporation’s enterprises to effectively select talented and motivated pupils for employer-sponsored education. Nevertheless, selection is just one step of career guidance. Its result is mainly determined by further interaction with selected pupils.
As pointed out above, in 2017, the work continued on career guidance for talented and motivated pupils who demonstrated the best results in the Corporation’s case presentation. The winners were a 9-th grade pupil of State Educational Institution Kapitsa Phystech Lyceum (Dolgoprudny) and a graduate of Municipal Autonomous Educational Institution “Gymnasium No. 31” (Perm).
For these pupils, a tour was organised to North Western Regional Centre of “Almaz-Antey” Concern in Saint Petersburg. The pupils had an opportunity to visit unique Russian scientific and research, production and laboratory test industrial complexes for development and production of special-purpose high-tech products.
The pupils also took part in the conference dedicated to “Mathematical modelling and engineering calculations”, which was held at the premises of SEC SEB (Moscow). At the conference, the pupils presented their proposals for career guidance that can be provided by the Corporation’s scientists. Based on these proposals, a team of young scientists of SEC SEB developed and implemented a career guidance program for the pupils of Municipal Autonomous Educational Institution “Gymnasium No. 31” (Perm).
The program was based on a two-day engineering case, and pupils were asked to determine the operational characteristics of the fragmentation warhead of an anti-aircraft guided missile for destruction of a potential enemy’s UAV (Fig. 7).
Fig. 7. Table of UAV vulnerability used in the case
A reconnaissance-strike UAV was considered as a destruction objective.
The Corporation considers essential the issue of developing special systems for protecting the objects of critical importance from different types of UAVs. The analysis of current local and regional conflicts confirms that the outcome of combat operations crucially depends on the capability to counter the state-of-the-art air attack weapons.
Thus, the case was based on a relevant engineering and technical task, which allowed to determine whether pupils had interest in academic and research work in the areas important for the Corporation.
The case format involved application of a wide range of knowledge from diverse disciplines studied at school (algebra, geometry, physics, chemistry, etc.). In addition, it allowed the participants to unfold their engineering skills, understand what it feels like to be a designer, engineer, and planner.
Fig. 8. Lecture presented by the Corporation’s specialists to the pupils of Municipal Autonomous Educational
Institution “Gymnasium No. 31” (Perm)
Discussion contests were a separate part of the program. They helped pupils to practice their business negotiation skills and develop their communication skills.
In addition, pupils/participants watched inspirational films and presentations about the Corporation’s activities, as well as about state-of- the-art and promising aerospace and air defence systems (Fig. 8).
Fig. 8. Lecture presented by the Corporation’s specialists to the pupils of Municipal Autonomous Educational Institution “Gymnasium No. 31” (Perm)
Based on the results of their work, two talented gymnasium graduates were enrolled at Bauman MSTU in a programme sponsored by one of the Corporation’s subsidiaries located in Moscow.
The winner of the Corporation’s case 2017 took part in the Forum “ProeKTOriA” again in 2018 and made a meaningful contribution to successful presentation of the Corporation’s case by the team.
The authors of this article have identified the bullet points of the step-by-step career guidance of talented and motivated pupils (Fig. 9) below; their implementation will allow to solve the problem of making sponsored programs attractive to the applicants having a high level of subject training, as well as retaining them in the Corporation’s enterprises.
Fig. 9. Steps of career guidance
All-Russian Career Guidance Forum “ProeKTOriA” is a platform that gives an opportunity for the Corporation’s enterprises to effectively select talented and motivated pupils for employer-sponsored education.
The winners of regional and federal academic competitions that study in schools sponsored by the Corporation’s subsidiaries should be involved in the Forum. In addition, the number of pupils should be increased: previously, the work was carried out within the framework of cluster “Space Technologies” with a small number of participants (8-10 pupils).
Expansion of the working group of experts (scientists of SEC SEB and Corporation enterprises) will also have a positive effect on the results. As pointed out above, if a direct customer, i. e., a manager whose department requires well-trained and motivated young specialists, takes part in the selection, this will improve the efficiency of career guidance.
Cooperation with the Forum winners’ school offices allows to involve a larger number of promising pupils interested in sponsored education and employment in the Corporation. Besides, cooperation with schools contributes to the creation of the Corporation’s image as an employer of choice, which is significant for solving the tasks of corporate HR policy.
According to the authors of the article, this is an integral part of career guidance that promotes pupils’ understanding of the tasks solved at the Corporation’s enterprises, as well as of the workflow management. Besides, pupils’ communication with the management and scientists of the enterprises is an additional motivating factor.
As pointed out above, motivated and talented pupils are pupils who are ready to solve complex tasks and interested in scientific issues. One of the most effective forms of work with such pupils is an individual project activity led by a mentor from amongst the members of the working group. This activity should be continued during the studies at the basic department. In the end, the project work can serve as a material for the graduation thesis.
Consistent implementation of career guidance steps, identified based on the projects being realized in the Corporation, will provide the Corporation’s enterprises with talented, highly motivated, and professionally trained specialists ready to solve sophisticated and relevant tasks related to both military equipment and competitive civilian products manufacture.
The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.