The regional stage of the professional skills championship "Abilympics" has started in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      On April 8, 2026, at 17:23 Society, the regional stage of the championship of professional skills among people with disabilities and health limitations "Abilympics" started in the Nizhny Novgorod region. This year, the event will bring together more than 500 specialists who will showcase their skills in 49 competencies. All participants have successfully passed the preliminary selection. Now they are competing for a place in the finals at the national level.

      In the region, the organizers of the "Abilympics" championship are the Ministry of Education of the Nizhny Novgorod region and the Center for the Development of the "Abilympics" Movement, with the support of the National Center "Abilympics" and the Presidential Platform "Russia - a Land of Opportunities." The competition is included in the federal project "Professionalism," which is part of the national project "Youth and Children."

      "Together with leading employers, we are forming a list of competencies from various industries - from traditional crafts to high technologies. The skills you acquire are your ticket to a successful professional life. The employment rate of participants in the "Abilympics" movement exceeds 93%. This is a very high indicator! I want to express special gratitude to mentors and educators. Your work, your belief in your students is the foundation on which their success is built. You do not just pass on knowledge; you help overcome barriers and open doors to a world full of opportunities," said Sergey Kravtsov, the Minister of Education of Russia, addressing the participants and their mentors.

      The regional stage of the championship was launched at the Nizhny Novgorod Governor's College. The Minister of Education of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Mikhail Puchkov, and the head of the regional executive committee of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of the "United Russia" party, Dmitry Filipenko, addressed the contestants with encouraging words.

      "The Abilympics championship is not just a competition but a crucial motivation for our students and schoolchildren. After all, it is the younger generation, receiving secondary vocational education, and schoolchildren today who bear the responsibility for the future of the country's economy and for their own self-realization. Year after year, we see how the scale of the championship grows: we started with a few dozen participants and two competencies, and today the regional stage of the competition includes 506 contestants and 49 areas of expertise. It is especially important that the "Abilympics" is focused on the real needs of the economy. All competencies and tasks that participants will have to solve are taken from real life, from the requests of our industrial partners. These are not abstract tests but practical training for the challenges of the modern labor market. This approach not only develops professional skills among young people but also instills confidence that their work is in demand and significant for the development of the entire country," said Mikhail Puchkov.

      "The Festival of Opportunities is a living embodiment of the ideas of the party project "One Country - Accessible Environment" and the People's Program: people with severe and multiple developmental disorders get a chance to demonstrate their professional skills, and society gets to see how an inclusive environment and supported employment become a reality. The "Abilympics" movement helps not only to identify the potential of participants but also to unite government institutions, NGOs, and businesses around a common principle: accessibility and equal opportunities should be the norm, not the exception," emphasized Dmitry Filipenko.

      In addition to the Nizhny Novgorod Governor's College, the championship will take place in 17 other educational institutions in the region. This year, new areas such as "Jurisprudence," "CNC Turning," "1C Standard Solutions Specialist," "Development and Assembly of UAVs," and "Doll Master" have been included in the list of competencies for the regional stage. The competitions are held in two categories - "schoolchildren" and "students."

      "I am participating in the championship in the "Knitting" direction and will be making a box in the shape of an acorn. Such competitions are very important to me as I plan to enroll in vocational education after the 9th grade," said Mikhail Potemkin, a student from Secondary School No. 3 in the Volodarsky District.

      Winners of the regional stage will be able to participate in the National "Abilympics" Championship, which will take place in Moscow in October. Winners and prize-winners of the national championship will be awarded certificates for the right to receive additional education or to acquire specialized technical rehabilitation aids.

      Let us remind you that the national project "Youth and Children" is being implemented by order of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. It includes nine federal projects and programs: "Russia - a Land of Opportunities," "We Are Together," "Russia in the World," "All the Best for Children," "Leading Schools," "Teachers and Mentors," "Creating a Network of Modern Campuses," "Universities for the Generation of Leaders," and "Professionalism."

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