Vladimir Putin congratulated Russian national team on win at EuroSkills Graz 2021
During a meeting with members of the Government, President Vladimir Putin held a video conference with the Russian national WorldSkills team and congratulated them on their win at EuroSkills Graz 2021, which took place in late September in Austria. The meeting was also attended by Svetlana Chupsheva, ASI Director General, and Dmitry Peskov, Head of Young Professionals Direction and Special Envoy of the President of Russia for Digital and Technological Development.
“The national team has demonstrated a good, brilliant result and is the first winner in terms of both total and gold medals. The Russian team has won 32 awards, including 13 gold medals, in the main skills – and there are altogether 38 kinds of skills – and eight medals in presentation skills half of which are gold. Our guys have also become the best in Europe in Mobile Robotics,” said Vladimir Putin.
“Your win is a worthy outcome of your hard work and a significant increase in the prestige of vocational jobs. I expect that the bright and brilliant performance of our team will be a good incentive for many people in our country to learn, master modern-day skills and reach new professional heights,” the President said.
He noted that the next EuroSkills championship would be held in Saint Petersburg in 2023 and stressed that Russia would host this competition at the highest level.
Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov said that this year the Russian national team won four gold medals more than at EuroSkills Budapest 2018 where they won nine gold medals. “We are gold medal winners in trades such as flooring, mechatronics, restaurant service, cabinetmaking, hairdressing, CNC turning, and health and social care, for the first time,” Kravtsov said. Speaking of vocational jobs nationwide, the Minister said that more than 60% of ninth-graders choose secondary vocational education, which would boost small and medium-sized businesses in the country.
Robert Urazov, Director General of the Young Professionals Association (WorldSkills Russia), drew the attention of the President to a special method of team training, which is based on the Soviet and international experience and on achievements of Russian companies, including those that are members of the National Technology Initiative (NTI). The method is used in three national projects, such as Labor Productivity, Demography, and Education, he said. Urazov noted that Russian companies should provide a more active support to the national team and asked Vladimir Putin for assistance.
In addition, two team members who won gold medals at the last championship had a talk with the President. Diana Bagautdinova, a winner in Welding Technologies and Gold, proposed the services of young professionals in the implementation of gasification projects. Vladimir Putin promised to provide support, emphasizing that today welding jobs are in high demand.
The President also replied to Sogdiana Rustamova, a winner in Hotel Administration. It is important for the economy and social well-being that hotel administration in Russia could reach a modern level with Russian highly skilled professionals, he said and wished success to the career starters.
Russia joined WorldSkills International at the initiative of ASI. In 2013-2019, the Russian team made its way from outsider to the 1st place winner at EuroSkills Budapest 2018 and scored second at WorldSkills Kazan 2019, only behind China.