The best gas cutter will be chosen in the Nizhny Novgorod region as part of the "Best in the Profession" competition.

      On May 27, 2026, at 13:45, the Society in the Nizhny Novgorod region began accepting applications for participation in the regional stage of the All-Russian professional skills competition "Best in Profession" in the nomination "Gas Cutter." The event aims to promote skilled trades, raise professional standards, and identify the most qualified specialists.

      Citizens of the Russian Federation with a secondary vocational education or who have undergone vocational training in the profession of "Gas Cutter," with at least three years of work experience, without violations of labor discipline and occupational safety requirements, are invited to participate in the competition. Contestants must be employed in the declared profession or have the status of an individual entrepreneur.

      "The selection in the nomination 'Gas Cutter' is being held for the first time in the Nizhny Novgorod region as part of the 'Best in Profession' competition, and we are pleased to start accepting applications. The gas cutter is one of the key professions in the industry. The quality and safety of the most responsible work depend on the mastery of these specialists. The competition gives participants the opportunity to test their skills, gain public recognition, improve their qualifications, and make a name for themselves across the country. I invite all industry specialists to join the competition," noted Igor Pantyukhin, the Minister of Demography and Human Capital Development of the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      Contestants will face theoretical and practical tests. The theoretical part consists of testing (20 questions on gas cutting technology, occupational safety, fire safety, equipment design, and first aid) and an oral solution of a production case. In the practical part, experts assess the skill of thermal cutting of metals for machine production, preparation of equipment, and structures for various purposes.

      "The competition tests are designed to fully assess the qualifications of participants: from theoretical knowledge to practical skills in metal cutting. A gas cutter must adhere to safety standards, understand the physical and chemical processes of combustion and cutting, know the properties of metals, and be able to read blueprints for precise cuts. This profession is in demand in machine engineering, shipbuilding, construction, metalworking, and the dismantling of metal structures," emphasized Elena Vidyaeva, acting director of the Nizhny Novgorod Human Resources Center "Work of Russia."

      Applications for participation in the competition can be submitted until the end of document acceptance. Applications are accepted until August 6 on the "Work of Russia" portal: konkurs.trudvsem.ru/luchshiy/all_nominations/nomination?nominationCode=22.

      Documents can be submitted in two ways: through the employer (if they have an account) or independently by authorizing through "Gosuslugi."

      The regional stage competitions will take place from August 11 to 13, 2026, at one of the industrial enterprises in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The winner will have the right to represent the Nizhny Novgorod region at the all-Russian final in September in the Kemerovo region.

      Recall that in 2025, the winners and prizewinners of the federal stage of the professional skills competition were Nadezhda Stepanova (LLC "Brig," 1st place in the nomination "Seamstress"), Alexander Petrov (JSC "OKBM Afrikantov," 1st place in the nomination "Miller"), Sergey Snegov (LLC "Gazprom transgaz Nizhny Novgorod," 2nd place in the nomination "Excavator Operator"), and Oleg Petrov (LLC "Gazprom transgaz Nizhny Novgorod," 3rd place in the nomination "Bulldozer Operator").

      Since 2025, the All-Russian professional skills competition "Best in Profession" has become part of the federal project "Labor Man" of the national project "Personnel," implemented by the order of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.

      The best results from the federal stages of the competition receive monetary rewards: 1 million rubles for first place, 500 thousand rubles for second place, and 300 thousand rubles for third place.

      The organizer of the "Best in Profession" competition is the Ministry of Labor of Russia with the support of federal and regional authorities, all-Russian trade union associations, and employers. The operator of the competition is the VNIIT labor. The NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.