Mikhail Mishustin delivered a lecture at the educational marathon 'Znaniye. The first'

Prime Minister opened the federal educational marathon with the lecture on the topic: "Professional development opportunities in Russia. Find your path to success!"

Excerpt from the transcript:

Mikhail Mishustin: Good afternoon, dear friends.

I am pleased to speak again at the educational marathon organized by the Russian Znaniye Society. It provides a good opportunity to share with you how young people can find their path to success in our country.

As our President noted, "Young people are the backbone of today and the future of the world."

I am convinced that it is your talents and energy, hard work and determination that are the key to further success of our country.

Many of you, friends, ask yourselves how to find your place in life and an interesting job, which educational institution to choose, which professions are promising. Today I want to talk in detail about what to look for, what opportunities there are so that you can fully realise your potential, get a good education and build a career. And, of course, to achieve professional self-fulfilment.

It depends by no means only on having a diploma or a position, but first and foremost on doing a job you love, one that genuinely interests you and that you do well.

Secondly, it depends on whether you have space for the constant advancing of your mastery, improvement of your own skills and professional development.

And, thirdly, it depends on whether your work brings benefit - to yourself, your family, friends, the whole society, and country.

When the balance of these components is maintained, you get pleasure from your work and from the fact that you are a cool and recognised specialist, and that your efforts bring specific results.

How, then, does one become such a professional? Where should one study and, later, work to be in demand, so that everything works out? How can one avoid making a mistake in choosing a career field? Which area is the advantageous one?

Surely many of you ask yourselves these questions. These are the most important questions for every young person who is just beginning his or her adult life.

There is no one single correct answer. Just as there is no universal recipe for success.

We create opportunities so that you can realise your potential in an environment where the world is constantly changing, where the labour market and sectors of the economy are undergoing transformation. And today the key asset is knowledge and the desire to constantly learn new things.

About five years ago, at a lecture of the educational marathon, we discussed with the young people that we have been witnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution which is about, as you know, digitalisation, development of artificial intelligence and robotisation.

Since then, digital platforms have become an integral part of many industries, helping to optimise and automate processes.

Large language models are under development. AI-based services are now emerging across all sectors - from medicine to agriculture, from manufacturing to public administration. People have increasingly been using neural networks as assistants.

Apparently, you cannot become an expert in artificial intelligence, in large language models or in complex automation systems without having mastered the fundamental knowledge in fields such as mathematics, physics and chemistry.

It is very important that, while you are drawn to trendy professions, you remain well-versed in the fundamental sciences. That you thoroughly learn the domain knowledge and could move to the next level of understanding - artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and automation of complex technological processes.

For example, it is common knowledge that the fundamental equations used in today's artificial intelligence algorithms were derived by mathematicians many years ago. Now, thanks to these achievements in fundamental sciences, industrial robots and automation systems are finding their way into enterprises. In Russia, over the past year, the number of robots has grown by more than half.

Countries that have learned to create innovations and ensure their mass deployment are now emerging as leaders. After all, more efficient use of energy, more productive and cheaper transformation of matter - substances, light, sound, radio waves - and more responsible interaction with nature - all of this ultimately affects the quality of people's lives.

Of course, progress transforms both forms of employment and professions. Today there is almost no such profession as, for example, a switchboard operator. At the same time, others have appeared, for example, prompt engineers and biotechnologists. This is the answer to the demands of our times.

The main danger is not that the labour market is pushing out certain professions, but that the accessibility and ease of using artificial intelligence can lead to the illusion that one can get by without professional knowledge. Therefore, those who can get to the bottom of the matters and independently create something new will be the most in demand. It is these people who will be able to drive progress further. And our common future will depend on such specialists.

And, of course, it is interesting, what industries will shape the world of tomorrow and where will the most intense competition for skilled staff take place?

While preparing for the lecture, I have studied many sources and analytical research and spoken with colleagues and engineers. I have identified eight key areas. I will name them. Not in the order of priority, because it is difficult to prioritise them. Everything can change very quickly, even in a year or two. But today I would highlight these eight key areas as the most important and promising.

First of all, it is robotics.

The global industrial robot market will grow by an average of 20-25 per cent annually over the next decade. The introduction of such machines gives a number of advantages - it accelerates production, helps personnel with routine tasks, and ensures more stable quality and its control. And their use will continue to expand.

Next is digital transformation which is so much talked about now. Platforms, online commerce, cloud services, software and artificial intelligence solutions are definitely the most powerful drivers of the economy and affect all areas - from advanced production to the social sector. Specialists who will be capable of creating and using such innovations will certainly continue to be in great demand in the labour market.

Production of energy storages is another rapidly developing industry. Along with the spread of electronic devices, portable equipment, electric transport, the demand for batteries is growing around the world. The new task is obviously to make such batteries more long-lasting, efficient, ecological, stable and light. This is what the efforts of many countries will be, and already are, aimed at, including at making traditional energy more resilient to risks.

The next area that I would like to highlight is the so-called new mobility. The market emerged at the intersection of digital technologies and transport. This includes autonomous vehicles and those with electric engines, personal modern mobility devices, as well as various services that make it easier to move around. All this will only gain popularity.

Of course, industrial and consumer biotechnology. Innovative solutions based on or using living microorganisms or their derivatives are needed today in agriculture, energy, pharmaceutics and medical industry. And the potential for their use is even greater. And maybe the future breakthrough achievements will belong to you, dear children.

Good opportunities for self-realization can be seen in the cybersecurity industry. Transformation of the digital environment entails certain challenges. You have heard about that too. The issues of data security, critical infrastructure protection, the fight against crimes in the virtual space, and cyber fraud become more acute.

Companies and entire states will only increase investment in quality and effective products that can ensure all of this. Only well-prepared experts, professionals can create and implement them. And you can become one too.

Promising areas also include modern semiconductor industry. Quick calculation is needed in absolutely any sphere. As a result, there is an increasing demand for high-performance chips. Methods and ways of their production are constantly improving, and new materials are being used, which gives a wide space for development.

A few words about such an industry as nuclear energy. Friends! While global hydrocarbon production and transportation, as you see, are facing another period of turbulence, the peaceful atom remains a reliable source of clean and cheap energy.

The International Atomic Energy Agency predicted that the installed capacity of nuclear power plants around the world would almost triple by 2050, and such generation would account for about 13 per cent of the global one in this area.

Dear Friends.

The Government took into account all these priorities when designing national projects of technological leadership that we launched since early last year on behalf of the President. This is one of the main tools for ensuring independence of key national industries, accelerating development of production and increasing innovative production.

And of course, in this work, we also take into account how modern technological system affects employment.

For timely and effective response to possible changes in the labour market and their management, on behalf of the head of state, a forecast of the need of the Russian economy for personnel is regularly developed. It gives a clear idea of which specialists and in which industries will be needed in a particular region in a year, two, etc. On its basis, educational programs are updated, plans for admission to educational institutions are formed, the number of state-funded places is determined, retraining and reskilling courses are launched, etc.

How is it compiled? First of all, statistics from across the country, scenarios for the socio-economic development of the Russian constituent entities are analysed. And most importantly, feedback from employers in each region is gathered.

I often speak with company directors myself to get their assessment of the situation. The majority says that graduates at their companies most often found employment in the speciality they were trained for. This fact cannot but please.

Last year a forecast for a seven-year period was developed for the first time. By the way, this is very difficult, because, as I have mentioned before, everything is changing. It showed that by year 2032 the domestic economy will require almost 12 million new employees.

The greatest need is in manufacturing, logistics and storage, as well as the information and communication sector. And, of course, there is a high demand for university and college graduates in such fields as mechanical engineering, chemistry, nuclear energy and many others. They are in extremely high demand for the implementation of the national projects for technological leadership.

Another tool -this one is for operational monitoring -for tracking the situation in the labour market is the "Work of Russia" portal. It is not just an aggregator of vacancies and a collection of CVs for companies, but a fully-fledged digital platform where related government services are available to everyone.

It is useful for those who want to change their speciality. There is an opportunity to apply for retraining. And students can find an organization for a work placement or an internship. The portal features dozens of other services as well.

It is important that anyone can see the available vacancies and salary offers; where the largest employers are; how the state of affairs changes from one region to another. We take all of this into account when compiling the workforce forecast.

The main thing for us is to create conditions so that every young person in our country can find work that they are passionate about, which corresponds to their talents, knowledge and abilities, and their skills meet the demands of employers and the economy as a whole.

We have aimed the entire personnel training system towards this.

I will start with colleges and vocational schools, where in-demand specialists are trained today.

And this is a good way to start one's career path earlier and faster, to find a decent job and earn a good stable income. After all, the skills acquired are genuinely useful.

The students are exploring new, interesting, in-demand spheres. Such as quantum communications, biotechnology, food industry, production of synthetic crystals for electronics and many others. For all professions, there is an opportunity to study the fundamentals of artificial intelligence. Graduates find employment and achieve success. Company directors tell many stories about the young people who join them after training.

Now I would like to give you some specific examples. I have gathered them especially for you.

Here is the first one. The Kolomensky Zavod plant, where Grigory Lavrentyev, a graduate of the Voskresensk College, now works. He qualified as a turner on computer-controlled machines. He started as an operator, and now, thanks to his determination, he has already become a foreman in the production preparation section.

Or Vladimir Fillipov who was gladly hired by a chemical company after graduation from the Cherepovets College of Chemical Technology. And now he visits his former educational institution as a mentor, sharing the experience he has been able to gain.

Or Anna Belkina. Last year she graduated from the Polytechnic College in Yekaterinburg with a specialisation in "Mechatronics and Robotics". She came to the "Kalina" enterprise for a work placement while studying, and even then, she made suggestions for automation of the production lines. She stayed with the company. First as a junior engineer. However, within a year she was able to carry out several important projects that saved the company millions of roubles. Now she holds the position of automation engineer. She is not afraid to go to the production line herself, to deal with diagrams, and to voice useful ideas.

There are many of such examples across the whole country.

It is important that today, the students in colleges immediately hone their skills through practice. It is a good experience to be able to work on machines and equipment and test one's abilities while still studying. This approach has become possible thanks to the implementation of the "Professionalitet" federal project, within which educational institution are being actively modernized. And businesses have been able to get involved in training staff for their future teams.

For instance, today at the Perm Aviation Vocational School, students are engaged in design work on full-scale models of the PD-14 and PS-90A engines. Chief Engine Designer Alexander Alexandrovich Inozemtsev, who works in Perm, explained that it all starts with vocational school, and then after university, it takes several years to train a professional in the field of modern engine development.

In Kaluga, for example, students begin receiving company-sponsored scholarships already in their second year, while training on cutting-edge equipment. Upon graduation, they enter jobs with salaries above the regional average.

Or take the Tula Region, where CNC operators are trained. In the past, young people needed time to master production processes in the workplace. Today, however, by their second year they are already capable of manufacturing components.

A number of colleges are also establishing integrated training-and-production centres. In essence, these are small-scale workshops embedded within educational institutions. Students are able to take up formal employment during their studies and earn a salary.

By graduation, they become qualified professionals with real work experience.

For instance, Ramenskoye College operates a radio electronics training-and-production centre, where students assemble components for a specialised industrial enterprise.

Meanwhile, the Kolomna Agricultural College has established its own laboratory dedicated to seed potato production.

The range of opportunities is very broad.

Today, every student has the opportunity to prove their skills at professional excellence championships. This year, half a million students will demonstrate their abilities across fields such as information technology, construction, industry, healthcare, the creative industries, and many others.

Competition tasks are developed in collaboration with the country's leading employers. More than ten thousand companies have already joined this initiative, known as "Professionals".Following the results of competitions, they invite young professionals for internships and subsequent employment.

For example, Anton Solomko from the Krasnodar region won first place last year in the category "Corporate Protection against Insider Information Security Threat". He has joined the team of a leading Russian company in this field.

Similarly, Gleb Karateev from Saint Petersburg won in "Mechatronics". He now works as a software developer at a company that produces gas analysis equipment and fire detection systems.

This year, a further fifty thousand participants have received comparable offers.

Winners, prize winners, and their mentors are also provided with state support, including financial incentives.

Most importantly, young people see that their skills are in demand and that there is scope for development. Today, studying at a college or technical school is a conscious and highly pragmatic entry point into a career.

However, this is not the only pathway. Our country also boasts a strong higher education system.

Universities are creating the conditions necessary for graduates to develop critical thinking, information literacy, research skills, and the ability to work in teams. Each year, more than 600,000 state-funded -that is, tuition-free -places are made available at universities across the country.

At the same time, we are prioritising universities, particularly in the regions, in addressing the country's scientific, technological, and socio-economic development challenges. Graduates must be competitive in the labour market. This is achieved in partnership with companies and corporations. Their leaders emphasise that practical training at specialised enterprises is the most effective form of cooperation between educational institutions and employers.

One such initiative is the Priority 2030 programme. Its goal is to establish more than one hundred advanced centres in the coming years, bringing together the capabilities of universities, research organizations, and industrial partners to deliver strategic projects.

More than two thousand companies joined the programme last year.

For instance, students at the Moscow Aviation Institute, working in partnership with an industry enterprise, are developing small radar satellites. These are intended for ice, environmental, and geotechnical monitoring in conditions of cloud cover.

Even during their studies, young people are engaged in breakthrough research.

Comparable opportunities are provided by the Advanced Engineering Schools established at leading universities across the country. There are currently around fifty such institutions. Their focus is on training the next generation of professionals capable of achieving technological leadership -again, in close alignment with the real economy.

Let me offer a few examples.

Students of the Far Eastern Federal University together with the "Arnika" company are developing a new generation of biologically active probiotics and synbiotics, which will improve the quality of fodder and biosecurity of animal produce.

Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University is developing another promising direction -hydrogen energy. The "KamAZ" company set up a special space there so that students can learn to assemble and test fuel cells and batteries. This is how an appreciation for and interest in complex specialisms - engineering specialisms in particular - is cultivated.

In a word, the result of such collaborative work is innovative technologies and products. More importantly - young people acquire fundamentally new, practical knowledge and competences.

Advanced engineering schools allow not only students to realize their talents. They help those who are preparing to enter university to find a future profession. To achieve this schools hold subject-specific competitions, pre-university programs, competitions and excursions to high-tech enterprises.

For example, at the EVRAZ Career Academy, Yegor Sivkov from the Kurgan region learned modern metallurgy and brushed up on his knowledge of core subjects - mathematics and physics. Then he attended an educational intensive course, and that was when he became "addicted" to engineering. All this is organized by the Advanced Engineering School at the Ural Federal University. And Yegor entered that same university. He successfully defended five projects related to the optimization of operational processes at the metallurgical giant. He won a prize in the Student Robot Battle. And I'm sure his further achievements are still ahead of him.

This is an example of how opportunities created by the state today have helped a young person choose his path and achieve success.

We support those who want to develop their business.

There is the University Technology Entrepreneurship Platform. It already spans more than 500 universities across the country, and the number of its participants has now reached about one million people.

What's the idea behind it? Young people take various training courses to improve their business skills. They gather like-minded people and launch their own start-up. The best projects receive grants - one million rubles each. Last year alone, 2,500 student projects were recognized in this way.

There are quite a few young people who start developing their own business while still in university.

For example, while studying at Tomsk University, Nikita Cheban, and his team came up with an aerostatic platform for deploying LTE networks in remote regions. They have now launched sales, and their business is generating real profit.

A graduate of Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, Bogdan Makarov, with the help of the University Technology Entrepreneurship Platform founded a company called "Neksus". Thanks to the start-up, a prototype of multifunctional bionic hand prosthesis with a control system based on a brain-computer interface was developed. It has every chance to become the basis for advanced solutions in the field of prosthetics.

Business skills can also be acquired through the All-Russian Youth Entrepreneurship Development Program which includes workshops, interaction with experts and other useful events.

We also pay special attention to young men and women who have chosen science as their calling. For them, we are creating special youth laboratories -there are already about a thousand of them. There, early-career researchers, postgraduates, graduates, and students tackle critical research challenges.

And young people who have achieved particular success can apply for the President's Prize in Science and Innovation, as well as the Government Prize in Science and Engineering. And we are constantly improving the support system for such talent.

Another thing I want to point out is that, of course, the quality and diversity of knowledge available to young people are very important. But the conditions in which they study are no less significant.

To make it comfortable and engaging, the Government, following the President's instruction, has launched a large-scale project to create a network of modern campuses.

Each university campus is not just about comfortable dormitories and academic buildings. It is also - and this is very important - about modern spaces: ecosystems with everything needed for research, leisure, and sports. In short - for a rich student life and for becoming true professionals.

Twenty-five such campuses are currently under construction. They are at different stages. Two are already fully completed - you have certainly heard of it - at Bauman University and at the Ural Federal University. Others are being actively built. There will be forty of them in total -from Kaliningrad to Sakhalin. I am confident that you will appreciate them and will enjoy studying in them.

Friends,

Professional self-fulfilment requires more than just a good education. Much depends on you, too. On your persistence, hard work, knowledge, and breadth of vision. On your belief in yourselves and your abilities. Your desire to constantly learn new things. And on your initiative -whether you'll strive to prove yourself.

The Tavrida.Art festival is held annually for energetic, creative young people. Those interested in art and culture present their creative ideas there and exchange them with like-minded individuals.

There is also the presidential platform "Russia -Land of Opportunity". There everyone can choose a project to participate in that will help them grow professionally and personally.

To test your own management competencies and learn from mentors, you may take part in the "Leaders of Russia" competition, known in the country. Many finalists successfully pursue their careers in positions of most responsibility, including in the civil service.

I cannot help but mention today those who defend the interests of our country on the front lines -in the special military operation zone. For them and their families, the Government, at the direction of the President, has provided a comprehensive range of support measures. We are also creating conditions so that upon returning from the front, our defenders can adapt to civilian life as quickly as possible.

In addition to the fact that they are legally guaranteed the opportunity to continue working in their current position, we provide them with assistance in building a new career path.

There are preferences when entering institutions of secondary vocational and higher education.

If you wish, you can receive free career guidance and retraining through the "Work in Russia" recruitment centres. Various specialties are available, including engineers, neural network experts, programmers, instructors, operators of numerical control machines, and many others. Sometimes combat experience is also in demand, as with twenty-four-year-old Sergei Kiselenkov from Kaluga. After returning from the SMO zone, he retrained as operator of unmanned aerial systems and now works for a company that manufactures them.

There are other options as well. Thus, good opportunities are offered by the "Time of Heroes" programme, launched at the direction of the President two years ago. Thanks to it, participants and veterans of the special military operation with higher education and management experience improve their qualifications, work with mentors, complete internships. And now they are already successfully working in federal, regional, and municipal government agencies, in big companies. During their military service and with their courage they proved what they are capable of. Many of them have been awarded the title of Hero of Russia, various medals and orders. And now they continue to work for the benefit of the country.

We are proud of the courage and devotion to the Motherland of those who have been or are currently on the front lines. They set a true example of service to the Fatherland. Of course, we will continue to do everything possible to ensure that they have adequate conditions for professional self-realization in peacetime.

Dear friends! Perhaps, future colleagues!

The labour market is constantly changing. This also influences the choice of path for professional self-realization.

On the one hand, you, the youth of today, have many more opportunities than your parents, our generation, had twenty years ago. On the other hand, it is important not to get lost in this choice. Find the occupation that suits you. And never stop gaining knowledge, developing your own skills and competencies. The conditions for this exist.

Dear children, it is crucial to learn how to manage your time in order to deepen your fundamental knowledge and hone your professional skills. It is essential to plan your time for learning and try to minimize distractions from gadgets, games, and social media, which, unfortunately, have become a serious factor today. Each of you has a phone in your pocket. On the one hand, it can open the library of the entire world, a lecture by a Nobel laureate, show you any point on a map, or a video from another part of the planet. On the other hand, do not let algorithms and trends create an illusory world. It seems that you are in the centre of events, but there is a living world around you, it is much more interesting and richer than any screen.

I want to encourage you to become masters of your time -only then will you realize your full potential in both your profession and in life.

If you master a specific subject area -higher mathematics, fundamental physics, biochemistry, we could mention many specialties -it will be much easier to realize your potential. Ultimately, it all depends on you.

The main aspect is not to look for reasons, but to look for opportunities. And our country has them. And the state will continue to expand them -for each of you.

I wish you to find your vocation, build your dream career, and become sought-after specialists.

Children, everything is in your hands.

I want to wish good luck to all participants of the educational marathon organized by the Znaniye Society, which opened today. I hope the meetings, workshops, and competitions are interesting and useful for each of you, contribute to your self-realization. And help you find your path to success.

Good luck!