The admissions campaign is about to begin, and thousands of applicants will face one of the most important choices – their future profession. To help school graduates make an informed decision, we have prepared materials for the "Inside Jobs" section. Its main goal is to provide a realistic picture of education in various faculties. We speak with faculty and students to learn about unique specialized disciplines, first impressions of industrial internships, and career prospects.
Amidst rapid technological development, the energy sector remains one of the main drivers of the economy. Uninterrupted production, comfortable homes, and the implementation of innovation are impossible without reliable energy systems and extensive infrastructure. Nuclear energy, a knowledge-intensive and high-tech sector requiring exceptionally qualified personnel, holds a special place in this process.
The Belarusian National Technical University has traditionally been a breeding ground for engineers, providing the country's key enterprises with sought-after specialists. The comprehensive training of such personnel is the result of several departments. Today, we will discuss how professionals are trained in the design and operation of nuclear power plants at the Faculty of Power Engineering (FPE), as well as in the construction of buildings and structures for thermal and nuclear energy at the Faculty of Power Engineering (FPE).
Design and Operation of Nuclear Power Plants
The specialized department of the Faculty of Power Engineering trains specialists for the nuclear power industry in the design and operation of nuclear power plants. Nikolai Karnitsky, Head of the Thermal Power Plants Department, discussed the intricacies of the educational process, placement, and demand for graduates.
According to Nikolai Borisovich, the Belarusian NPP is currently almost fully staffed. However, the placement of young specialists continues successfully, as their competencies are highly valued far beyond the plant itself:
"Over the years of training, we have graduated 286 specialists, 129 of whom have been assigned directly to the Belarusian NPP. The rest are in demand by Gosatomnadzor and relevant organizations. For example, a special department for the operation and repair of nuclear power plant equipment was recently created at Belenergoremnaladka, headed by one of our graduates. Furthermore, when the decision is made to build the third power unit, a significant increase in personnel recruitment is expected."
"Could you tell us more about the educational process? What disciplines do students master within this specialty, and how high is the entry threshold for applicants?"
"The duration of study in this specialty is five years. During this time, students master approximately 60 specialized disciplines, deeply immersing themselves in the specifics of the turbine and reactor shops, centralized repair departments, and chemical water treatment units. The quality of the intake traditionally remains very high—the passing score reaches 361, which surpasses many other technical fields," explained the head of the department.
Speaking about the key task of a nuclear power plant engineer, Nikolai Karnitsky emphasizes impeccable precision:
"The main mission of a specialist in our industry is to eliminate any technical flaws during design and operation. There are no trivialities in nuclear power. Working at a power plant requires the strictest adherence to regulations, which are fundamentally different from those at traditional facilities. Over all these years, we have not received a single complaint from power plant management about the quality of graduate training." "How is the practical training of future engineers organized? Where do students complete their internships, and who does the department collaborate with?"
"A strong practical foundation is our absolute priority. Our students complete their internships at Russian nuclear facilities, including the Leningrad NPP-2 and the Novovoronezh NPP. We also have close cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. The IAEA donated expensive software to the university, which we actively use in our educational process," Nikolai Borisovich emphasized.
During the conversation, Nikolai Karnitsky also dispelled the stereotype that nuclear energy is an exclusively male field.
"At the facilities, qualifications are assessed first and foremost, not gender. A great example is our graduate, Yana Salkevich, who began her career in the chemical water treatment shop and is now successfully working in the reactor shop. This year, of the four graduates assigned to the Belarusian NPP, one is also a woman." "Prospective students definitely shouldn't be afraid to choose this career path," Nikolai Borisovich concluded.
Theory and statistics are the foundation, but the true spirit of the profession is revealed only through the personal experiences of those currently pursuing this path. We decided to look at the studies through the students' eyes and discover what lies behind the complex formulas, drawings, and lectures. Student Vladislav Disko shared his first impressions.
"Why did you decide to study a specialty related to nuclear power plants?"
"At school, I enjoyed subjects like physics and mathematics, so I knew for sure I wanted to be an engineer. I chose this specialty because I thought it was the most promising, and most importantly, interesting," Vladislav noted.
Studying at the faculty requires serious dedication, but the process itself is incredibly engaging. The young man is most interested in specialized subjects, where theory is closely intertwined with real-world problems and working with specialized equipment. "I really remember the lab work on 'Radioactive Waste Management,' where we worked with spectrometers, dosimeters, and radiometers. We learned how to use them and measure the properties of radionuclides," Vladislav shared.
The future engineer's internship became a turning point, allowing him to appreciate the true scope of his chosen profession:
"Last summer, I was fortunate enough to do an internship at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant. I saw the entire power generation cycle with my own eyes. I was very surprised by the scale of the plant, and it made me want to work there even more."
"Where do you see yourself after receiving your diploma, and at what stage of the NPP's operation would you most like to work?"
"I would like to start my career during the NPP construction phase, so I could delve deeper into the plant's design and see it in cross-section. When visiting a completed facility, a specialist receives a completed design, and on the construction site, they have the opportunity to assemble it piece by piece, understanding why each element is in its proper place."
Vladislav advises applicants to always listen to their inner voice and choose what they are passionate about. Studying won't always be easy, but the most important thing is to never give up and believe in yourself." Gleb Paramonov, a student also studying in this specialty, has his own career choice story, closely tied to family traditions.
"I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps and pursue a career in energy. He also suggested this direction. The specialty seemed promising to me, and the construction of new units proved that to be true," Gleb said.
"The training of future energy engineers covers a wide range of areas. What disciplines and practical skills did you find most interesting during your studies?"
"Our specialty isn't as narrowly focused as it might seem at first glance. Our main focus is nuclear power plants, but we're also quite familiar with traditional thermal power plant equipment. The most exciting for me were the practical classes on thermal-mechanical equipment diagnostics. The lab covers almost all the monitoring methods actually used in the energy industry. I also really remember the classes on dosimetry and radiation protection, where we encountered radioactive isotopes firsthand."
Gleb admitted that his internship only strengthened his desire to work at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant:
"Seeing real equipment, which had previously only been shown on presentation slides, is truly a thrill. I envision my career as a turbine shop engineer and plan to focus specifically on operation."
"Who would this major be for?"
"This major requires those who are willing to put in the effort to learn something new. This profession requires hard work, perseverance, and dedication," Gleb concluded.
Construction of Thermal and Nuclear Power Plant Buildings and Structures
Studying at the Faculty of Power Engineering lays a solid foundation for managing the most complex processes at nuclear power plants. However, reliable operation of the plants is impossible without the competent construction of the structures themselves. This part of the work is traditionally the responsibility of professionals from the Faculty of Power Engineering."
Yulia Medvedeva, Associate Professor of the Department of Hydrotechnical and Power Engineering, Water Transport, and Hydraulics and Deputy Secretary of the Admissions Committee for the Faculty of Power Engineering at BNTU, discussed how graduates in the "Construction of Thermal and Nuclear Power Engineering Buildings and Structures" specialize.
The construction of power engineering facilities is fundamentally different from conventional construction. According to Yulia, the key task of an engineer in this field is to ensure absolute reliability.
"Imagine you're not building an ordinary house, but a building that houses a reactor, turbine, or cooling systems. A calculation error can cost lives and cause environmental damage. The facility must withstand earthquakes, heat, frost, vibrations, and even an airstrike, if we're talking about a nuclear power plant. The key words in our profession are strength, integrity, and radiation resistance," the professor explained.
"How in demand are such highly specialized specialists in the Belarusian labor market?"
"The situation is consistently tense, in the best sense of the word. Power engineering always offers prospects for decades to come." The country is currently undergoing planned modernization of thermal power plants, maintenance of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, and construction of substations. Companies are experiencing a genuine shortage of personnel, and our graduates are being snatched up just a couple of years before they receive their diplomas.
To meet such high demands, future engineers need an exceptional theoretical and practical foundation.
"During our training, we emphasize the specifics of the industry. Students master the calculation of concrete bioshields, study the specifics of concreting continuous nuclear power plant units, and seismic engineering. In their practical training, future engineers work with highly complex software, such as LIRA-SAPR systems for numerical structural strength analysis and BIM modeling systems. They also learn to conduct laser deformation surveys and non-destructive testing of concrete," explained Yulia Alexandrovna.
We focused our discussion on whether this program is suitable for women. The instructor confidently asserts that gender stereotypes in construction are no longer relevant:
"Women make up about 20-30 percent of the current cohort. They often perform even better than men due to their diligence and meticulous reporting." Companies like to hire female graduates for quality and support departments, as they have greater responsibility for working with regulatory documentation. Women successfully work as design engineers and experts at the State Industrial Supervision Authority. They also travel to site in hard hats and vests, but they are no less in demand for design and management positions. Competition is lower here, and the prospects are sometimes better than in many humanities programs.
Fifth-year student Tatyana Petkevich shared her vision of the profession. When applying, she was looking for a field where the exact sciences bring real benefit to society:
"I understood that energy is always needed, and this gave me confidence in the future. The construction of thermal and nuclear power plants are large-scale projects on which the lives of millions of people depend."
"Which subjects did you find most engaging during your studies?" "I particularly enjoyed the specialized courses, where we study the nuances of constructing energy facilities, focusing on the calculations and selection of load-bearing structures. The most important subjects for us cover construction technology, radiation safety, and estimating."
The student's real immersion in the profession occurred during a materials science class:
"Do you remember your first serious lab assignment? What tasks and equipment did you encounter?"
"Yes, it was a lab assignment on determining the strength of concrete and aggregate characteristics. We worked with typical construction equipment—test presses for concrete and rebar, shake tables, and measuring vessels. Making control samples and determining their strength was the moment when I truly understood what a construction engineer actually does on-site," Tatyana shared.
In the future, Tatyana plans to become a design engineer. According to her, this work perfectly combines theory and practice, requiring not only the calculation of every element but also the competent preparation of working drawings. The student formulates her main advice to prospective students very clearly:
"Be prepared for the fact that this specialty requires serious work with precision instruments and continuous training." If you're interested in design, enjoy drawing, and want to see buildings built according to your designs in person, then this is the right direction for you.
What you need to know when applying
"Design and Operation of Nuclear Power Plants":
"Construction of Buildings and Structures for Thermal and Nuclear Power":
