Leading HR experts of the fuel and energy sector convened at the conference "Human Capital – Investments in a Sustainable Economy of Russia" on the last day of the 7th St. Petersburg International Gas Forum.

The participants of the conference greeted Deputy Head of the Administration of Gazprom Alexander Shagov and Chairman of the Committee for Labor and Employment of the Population of St. Petersburg Dmitry Cherneyko.

Director of the Civil Service and Mobilization Training Department of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation Vladimir Smirnov spoke about the role of the state in shaping the human capital of the fuel and energy sector. Today, about 10 specialties are in the area of ​​responsibility of the Ministry of Energy, including "Heat Power Energy", "Power Engineering", "Oil and Gas Business", etc. More than 80 professional standards have been developed for industry professionals. Effectively runs the "school-university-employer" system. Some companies start working with pre-school children, conduct their career-oriented education, an official said.

"Thanks to investments in personnel, the Russian economy will be gaining an increasingly stable position", – Mr. Smirnov said.

Head of the Department of Organizational Development and Career Management of Lukoil PJSC Yuri Pikhtovnikov outlined the role of business in shaping the human capital of the fuel and energy industry.

"Today, the employees of the oil and gas industry are the most highly professional staff in the world; we are on a par with the cosmonaut training centre. The cost of our facilities is several billion dollars, the price of error is very high. Therefore, the training of personnel in the oil and gas industry is a very special area," – says he.

Lukoil now has 112 agreements with universities, and draws on international experience in its HR work, sending specialists abroad for an internship and practical training. The company's corporate training centre in Astrakhan is a unique facility giving sea rescue courses, training employees to work in the industrial spaces, and giving emergency response courses.

Yuri Pikhtovnikov spoke about the company working with schoolchildren, students and young workers, about its cooperation with the Sirius Education Centre and training camps in the regions, where pupils, students and even employees of contract organizations come.

The effective Council for professional qualifications in the oil and gas sector is an important link in the formation of the human capital of the fuel and energy sector, the speaker said.

"The notion of human capital has come into being only recently, in the 20th century, and it can be a highly personalised one as in the capital of the firm and it can be national, and it is very difficult to see them as one," – said Elena Shchurova, Director of Personnel Management Department, Transneft. The company engages with educational institutions, prepares programs and special courses for universities. At the same time, pointed out the expert, despite the current standards, there is no single training system with specialists graduating from universities having different professional level.

"It is important to determine the profiles for training specialists, establish and fine-tune a system of further professional education", – she said.

Head of the HR Capacity Enhancement Committee of the Expert Advisory Council "Rosimuschestvo", member of the Council for Professional Qualifications in the field of HR management, Svetlana Epikhina spoke about the global trends in the system of professional standards and qualifications, about the system of qualifications effective in 142 countries of the world.

According to her, at General Motors, the profitability per employee has risen 76.65 times in 60 years, and the number of employees has decreased by 500 000. She pointed out that so-called "historic dropping-out" occurs. Another example is Chile. The country is implementing the Transforma project ("Chile is transforming"): the country has identified 11 sectors with high potential, and the state closely regulates these areas, including personnel issues.

"A rich country is a country rich in human capital. Let's get away from the terminology and go back to the term "qualification", back to the goal and effectiveness! " – she said.

During the conference, the session "Labor Market in the Oil and Gas Industry" was held with the participation of the rector of Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas, Viktor Martynov. Session of the jury of the contest for the best socially oriented oil and gas company convened. Experts also spoke about the interaction of the industry and educational organizations, and changes in labor legislation. An open meeting of the Council for Professional Qualifications in the Oil and Gas Complex was held.

The organizer of the conference was the St. Petersburg State Economic University.