Today, on June 9, the solemn opening of the training room of the branch of the Department of Machines and Foundry Technology took place at JSC Minsk Tractor Plant.
The event was attended by Rector Sergey Kharitonchik, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Yury Nikolaychik, Dean of the Mechanical Engineering Faculty Igor Ivanov, Head of the Department of Machines and Foundry Technology Mechislav Sadokha, Head of the Laboratory of the Department of Machines and Foundry Technology Viktor Stelmakh, and Senior Lecturer of the Department of Machines and Foundry Technology Sergey Korenyugin.
In a solemn ceremony, the ribbon was cut by Alexander Burko, First Deputy General Director of MTZ, Technical Director, Sergey Kharitonchik, and Vladimir Kisel, Deputy General Director of MTZ for Production.
After that, the participants of the ceremony repeatedly noted that the new auditorium is a place where the line between the study desk and the production site is blurred. From now on, students receive theoretical knowledge and practical skills in a single cycle, without breaking away from each other. It is this approach — the inseparable unity of education and the real casting process — that formed the basis for creating an audience. Representatives of BNTU and MTZ shared their impressions.
Sergey Kharitonchik noted that the opening was a sign of the renaissance of engineering.
— Today, my dream came true, I can tell you. I received a great gift, and if there are gifts more valuable in life, I believe there are, but today it is a very valuable gift for me. I am proud to have it. We have been discussing the creation of a branch of the department and especially the auditorium for a long time. I remember talking to Vitaly Mikhailovich when he was the CEO. Says: "You know, we're not going to make it." And I say, "It can't be, it's going to work!" And then the moment came when it finally worked out. I am proud that today we still see everything and understand that the renaissance of engineering is coming. Engineering is the future, and we are the only ones changing the world. And it is necessary to create conditions for children so that they come with pleasure to study. There is a workshop nearby, which is practice, which is good, but there is also a computer, and theory is also nearby. I think that when the students come here, they will understand that it is important to combine theoretical knowledge and practical training, to understand the purpose of their studies, and to take the next step. I am confident that the students who come here to study, even if it is 20 years in the future, will become the CEOs of our factory.
According to the rector, the collaboration that has already been established is a source of genuine admiration even for Russian colleagues. Many of them dream of having their students participate in practical training at the factory.
Sergey Vasilyevich emphasized that, for his part, he would definitely do everything possible to develop cooperation.
Viktor Shumigay, Head of the Technology Bureau for Foundry Shop No. 2 of the Foundry Department of the Metallurgy and Heat Treatment Department, and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Machines and Technology of Foundry Production, shared that the new classroom would become a place for live training in direct contact with production.
— In the process of creating this innovative classroom, we set ourselves one rule: it should not smell like chalk and boredom. There will be really live classes, during which students will be able to get theoretical knowledge in the morning, and in the afternoon, without leaving the factory, they will be able to get a first-hand experience of the current technological process. I would like to express my gratitude to the management of the Minsk Tractor Plant for their trust in us and our efforts to attract young professionals and, most importantly, to adapt them to their new jobs. I would also like to thank the management of the university for their understanding of the current training requirements.
Sergey Kulikov, Head of the Department of Machines and Foundry Technology at the Minsk Tractor Plant, and Head of the Foundry Laboratory, noted that the opening of the auditorium is the next step towards the unification of production, education, and science.
— Today, we need to understand that the opening of the auditorium is just the next step. We are moving towards a complete unification of production, education, and science. Our students receive practical-oriented education, and we work with educational institutions in a mutually beneficial cooperation. Thanks to these actions, the Minsk Tractor Plant has been able to directly influence the educational process, select candidates for distribution to our enterprises, and make adjustments to the curriculum as needed. This has already been accomplished. Viktor Alexandrovich and I, who teach disciplines within the framework of the department's branch, are already adapting certain programs to our needs. To be honest, when this process began in 2006, the vision of those involved was not fully formed. Now we see that our goals have been set, and we have already achieved our first goal. Our outstanding achievement is that the vast majority of graduates want to work at the Minsk Tractor Plant. This is not only a practical-oriented education, but also a way to increase the prestige of our profession. Being a foundry worker and a metallurgist is still a prestigious career. I would like to thank the university administration and the plant management for their efforts.
Alexander Burko said that the created class will help young specialists to enter the profession faster, and experienced craftsmen to pass on their knowledge.
— Dear colleagues, we are well aware that the plant is developing, and we are developing together with the plant. Technology does not stand still. In order to be the best, we must constantly improve our skills. What we are really creating today is for young specialists who will come here for training, and they will receive the experience and knowledge that will allow them to enter their jobs faster and gain their status. As for the experienced craftsmen who work at our plant and at the institute, they will pass on their knowledge, experience, and competencies, creating a foundation for the future of not only our plant but also our country. We understand that this is important today, as the young generation we have today is shaping our future. Therefore, I would like to wish them a successful education and a great learning experience. We must remember that the plant is in our hands, and we must protect it in every possible way. Therefore, study, thanks to this, I think everything will be fine with us, everything will develop and everything will work out.
Vladimir Kisel wished the audience of talented students, and the plant of outstanding future engineers and managers.
— Dear colleagues, I really want to congratulate everyone on this holiday. The holiday is really real. This holiday is for the guys who will undergo theoretical training here, and then bring this theoretical experience to life in production, as well as for the teaching staff, who will pass on their knowledge and their many years of work to the guys. To the guys who will be studying here. Once again, happy birthday to everyone. And I wish this class many good students, excellent students and, accordingly, the tractor plant, then these workers, engineers and managers.
Igor Ivanov noted that the opening of the auditorium is the result of many years of work and the understanding of personnel issues reaching a new level.
— The branch has been operating for a long time, classes have been going on for a long time, but this step that has been taken is the result of many years of work. If you remember, on the basis of the BNTU, at the suggestion of the BNTU, the management of the BNTU, there was a large meeting of universities that are engaged in the production of foundry and metallurgical specialists, we collected and discussed issues. At that time, we came to the general conclusion that we need to solve the personnel issues of our enterprises, restructure them, and we won't be able to achieve anything without mutually beneficial cooperation. This understanding has now reached a different level, and there is an order from the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Belarus, the university administration, and the factory management to develop the technical base and establish training centers. However, nothing can be achieved without real work, interest, participation, and understanding that it is crucial. Therefore, I would like to express my gratitude to the factory management, my colleagues, and the university administration.
Mieczysław Sadocha emphasized that the opening of the department's classroom is only a preliminary result, as the plans include not only teaching students but also conducting serious scientific research and establishing department branches at other enterprises.
— In June 2006, the process of establishing the branch began. This is a preliminary result, but I believe it is a significant achievement. We have ambitious plans for the future. Not only do we focus on educating students, but we also engage in significant research activities, as this is beneficial for both the development of science and the overall success of the enterprise. This is because new technologies, requirements, and processes are constantly emerging. These require knowledge and a scientific approach. The Minsk Tractor Plant is leading the way for many other enterprises in the country. Many other companies are starting to follow suit, looking at what the Minsk Tractor Plant is achieving. We collaborate with various factories. Today, there are enterprises such as the S. I. Vavilov Minsk Mechanical Plant, which is also involved in this work. In the future, we plan that there may also be a branch of the department. However, this is not a competition, but rather a complement and interaction. If everything goes well, we aim to establish full horizontal cooperation between the departments' branches. We will coordinate our efforts, meet, hold specific meetings, and engage in collaboration to ensure that we complement each other and move forward together. In the future, we plan to organize work at a number of other enterprises. In this case, I am very grateful to the specialists and management of the Minsk Tractor Plant, the management of the Belarusian National Technical University, Sergey Vasilyevich, and Yuri Alexandrovich, for their support of these initiatives and for our ability to move forward.
Yuri Nikolaychik noted that the new audience will allow us to train not just theorists, but real practitioners.
— It is very gratifying and relevant that a unique audience has appeared at the Minsk Tractor Plant, which will allow us, together with the department's branch, to interact in the training of specialists, not theorists, but real practitioners who will be able to gain initial theoretical knowledge, but not immediately go to the workshop, but to see the smelting, molding, and technologies that are available today. they are used in foundry production, and already when preparing their theses, where it is necessary to basically develop a full cycle of casting production, from the charge yard to stumping and cleaning, to understand what materials are used, in what quantity, what technological processes are and to understand that, although this profession is difficult, but it it has its own appeal. I think that the opening of the training laboratory will not only bring practical training closer together, but also attract and involve students in this profession. Because, like other engineering professions, this is the foundation of all our products, production, and the GDP of our country, which is primarily created by engineers. Therefore, as a foundry worker, I am very excited about this event, and I believe that it holds great promise for us. I wish you success and development, not only for this classroom, but also for the classroom to be not only a fashionable and modern design, but also to have educational classes that are meaningful, new technologies, computer modeling, and so on. Therefore, I wish you success, but on my part, I also promise all kinds of support and direct participation, if necessary.
The opening of the classroom of the branch of the Department of MTF of the BNTU at MTZ is another step towards training highly qualified specialists of the new generation directly in production.
