Nikitin and Dorofeevsky visited the new educational cluster for rail transport.

      October 3, 2025 12:16 Society

      The governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Gleb Nikitin, and the head of the Gorky Railway, Sergey Dorofeevsky, familiarized themselves with the work of a new educational and production cluster established on the basis of the Nizhny Novgorod Institute of Railway Transport (NIPS) — a branch of Privolzhsky State University. The cluster began operating in the current academic year as part of the federal project "Professionalitet" of the national project "Youth and Children." The visit took place on October 2, on the day of the 85th anniversary of the secondary vocational education system.

      To implement the project, NIPS received a federal subsidy to modernize its material and technical base jointly with its anchor enterprise — OJSC Russian Railways (RZD). The total funding amounted to 140 million rubles, including funds from the federal and regional budgets, as well as company funds.

      Gleb Nikitin noted that 16 educational clusters have already been created in the region under "Professionalitet," and three more are planned to be launched next year. According to him, 19 clusters is one of the best figures in the country. The governor emphasized that the project makes it possible to build a direct dialogue with employers and to clearly understand which specialties are in demand. This allows for the reform of the secondary vocational education system and a focus on the most relevant training areas. Nikitin expressed confidence that the future belongs to the system of secondary vocational education.

      Sergey Dorofeevsky stressed the importance of the new cluster for the sector. In his opinion, the presence of a strong personnel base determines the development of railway transport, the introduction of modern technologies, and the stable operation of the entire system. Thanks to the upgraded conditions, students have the opportunity to train on modern equipment. They now have at their disposal "Lastochka" and "Ermak" simulator complexes, as well as an updated full-size railway layout. Its major overhaul included the replacement of sleepers, supports, lighting, and infrastructure elements. The head of the Gorky Railway called the creation of the center an investment in the future.

      In 2025, a major renovation was completed on the building constructed in 1965 at the Nizhny Novgorod Railway Transport Technical School, which is part of NIPS. The educational building was equipped with modern equipment that meets the requirements of the 21st-century industry.

      The Minister of Education and Science of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Mikhail Puchkov, noted that the federal program allows colleges and technical schools to become modern and competitive institutions. The distinctive feature of "Professionalitet" is close cooperation with enterprises, when educational programs are formed jointly with employers. According to the minister, this guarantees that graduates will possess all the necessary practical skills and will be able to transition from study to work without problems.

      Today, 400 students are already studying at the technical school under the updated educational programs: Automation and Telemechanics in Transport; Transportation Organization and Transport Management; Railway Construction, Track and Track Facilities; Technical Operation of Railway Rolling Stock; and Power Supply.

      The director of NIPS, Natalya Malanicheva, noted that the project helps employers clearly understand what knowledge and skills students acquire. In the future, this will allow for jointly developing production processes and expanding the range of competencies mastered by students. By 2027, it is planned to increase the number of technical school students to 800 per year.

      Currently, 16 "Professionalitet" clusters operate in the Nizhny Novgorod region in various fields, six of which began operating in 2025.

      Earlier it was reported that Gleb Nikitin inspected the work of three Nizhny Novgorod technical schools.

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