Construction Student Teams

In 2008, Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation started involving students dealing with construction specialties in the implementation of its projects. The first team of 20 young people participated in the construction of one of the power units of the Rostov NPP located in Volgodonsk. This revived the Soviet-era tradition of involving student construction teams (SCT) in construction of nuclear power facilities.

Experience of cooperation with SCTs proved to be positive, and since 2008 it has been expanding every year. At present, almost no major construction site of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation is done without engagement of construction team members. Construction team population dealing with nuclear industry facilities especially expanded in 2014, when Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation signed the agreement with Russia’s Student Teams (RST) youth social agency. Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation established the special Coordination Council for the purpose of development of student teams within the nuclear industry, headed by Deputy HR General Director, Ms. Tatyana Terentyeva. The mentioned Council developed a systematic approach to organization of attracting of young specialists to Rosatom's construction sites: young people are convinced that if they deal with nuclear industry facilities, they will definitely be compensated for travel expenses, provided with meals, necessary clothing, and operating equipment.

Сonstruction team practice differs from the usual industrial practice since in the first case students act as beginning professionals, not apprentices. Thus, construction team members sign labor contracts and get paid. So, the responsibility of CST participants to the management is higher than that of ordinary trainees. On average, students at Rosatom's construction sites get more than 35,000 rubles per month. They are offered with winter and summer work semesters.

After arriving at construction sites, student teams are assigned experienced mentors who will not only provide mandatory technical instructions, but will also help to organize the work if necessary. This procedure is strictly observed with reference to all construction projects. Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation holds the annual competition for the best organization to host young people.

Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation appreciates students' contribution to the construction process and presents a special industry award for particular achievements. In 2015, it established the award named "For Contribution to the Development of Nuclear Industry Student Teams". This award provides the advantage in further career in nuclear industry organizations.

In 2022, the nuclear industry construction team movement set a record in terms of scope and figures: over two thousand young people were involved in Rosatom's inter-regional construction projects, as well as international projects in Belarus, Türkiye, Bangladesh, and Egypt.

It is expected that in 2023 about 3 thousand students will be involved in Rosatom's construction projects in Russia and overseas.

In total, after more than 14 years of the project history, over 15 thousand students have passed through the student teams' school. As a result of career guidance activities, over 300 young specialists were furtherly employed.