Кадры не ждут диплома: БТК рассказала, как готовит специалистов для современной промышленности
Workforce training for the light industry is becoming increasingly critical amid a growing demand for qualified specialists across enterprises. According to the Russian Ministry of Labor, employers are currently seeking approximately 85,000 sewing machine operators. Furthermore, the evolution of manufacturing is changing worker requirements: alongside traditional professional skills, competencies in digital technologies, quality management, material development, and the operation of modern equipment are in high demand.
As Tatyana Stepanova noted, overcoming the talent shortage requires building a continuous professional training system, starting from the school bench and extending to the upskilling of current employees.
This approach entails active corporate participation in the educational process, the organization of internships, the development of mentorship programs, and the creation of clear career advancement opportunities.
Today, BTK Group collaborates with 26 educational institutions. The company organizes field trips and workshops for schoolchildren, provides students with opportunities for industrial internships, donates equipment to colleges, and conducts teaching internships for educators. In the first half of 2026, an additional 337 students completed internships at BTK enterprises, with 64 of them already hired.
One example of such collaboration is a joint program with the College of Petersburg Fashion. Since 2025, future sewing machine operators begin their internships directly at the enterprise after their first semester of study. Under the guidance of production masters, they learn to operate the equipment, familiarize themselves with technological processes, and understand the specifics of workflow organization. This allows students to assess employment prospects and adapt to production conditions even before receiving their diplomas.
A separate focus of the company's HR strategy is the professional development of current employees. Currently, 39 BTK workers, predominantly sewing machine operators, are pursuing higher education in technological specialties at the company's expense. This approach helps build a talent pool of specialists who are already familiar with production processes and possess practical experience.
To retain young employees at its enterprises, the company has been developing a mentorship system since 2022. Today, 43 active mentors from the engineering, technical, and management staff are involved in the program. An additional 94 employees are enrolled in the corporate "School of Mentors." Alongside the development of these adaptation programs, the company has noted a decrease in staff turnover, dropping from 21.2% in 2024 to 19.35% in 2025.
"We do not wait for a graduate to appear at the factory gates. We meet them in school, guide them through college, support them at the university level, and stay by their side as they become specialists. It is important that a young person not only acquires a profession but also understands how they can develop within it. For the employer, this is an opportunity to train specialists for the real tasks of production, and for the employee, it provides a clear perspective for professional growth," noted Tatyana Stepanova, HR Director of BTK Group.
At the roundtable, the company also outlined key areas for improving workforce training in the light industry. These include more active employer participation in developing educational curricula that reflect advancements in production technologies, organizing practical training for students from their very first year, and expanding internship opportunities for educators at active enterprises.
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State support for updating college training equipment and developing joint programs between enterprises and educational institutions can play a crucial role in this effort.
Such measures will help bridge the gap between graduates' competencies and production needs, while also increasing the appeal of blue-collar and engineering-technical professions among the youth.
As an example of comprehensive career guidance, the "Steps to Success" program, implemented by a BTK division in Veliky Novgorod, was presented at the roundtable. The program involves sequentially introducing children to manufacturing professions starting from the first grade and providing ongoing support for their career choices until they complete their technical college education.
