Why Russia, and why of all places Nizhny Novgorod? These were questions ThyssenKrupp Technologies Executive Board member Ralph Labonte asked himself when he visited Russia’s third biggest city, which lies to the east of Moscow. He soon found the answers: “Russia is an important market for us in which we aim to achieve double-digit growth. And Nizhny Novgorod is a major industrial conurbation in which many of our companies operate.” What is more: 20,000 students are enrolled at the city’s State Technical University, many of them studying technical/engineering subjects. And these are just the students Technologies is looking for in its search for highly qualified engineers. So Labonte was particularly pleased to be able to officially launch his company’s first university partnership on Russian soil during his visit: “We are greatly honored that the University is interested in a long-term collaboration with the ThyssenKrupp Group.”

Activities under the partnership have now officially begun after the two parties swapped ideas and developed concepts last fall. The first joint project in June 2008 was a management planning game which has already been successfully used in other collaborative projects. “For engineers it is increasingly important to understand management aspects and take them into account in their work. The management planning game provides a good initial insight,” says Julie Schimizu from Corporate Management Development at ThyssenKrupp Technologies.

In addition students can attend a presentation of the company’s activities and day-to-day business. Further activities such as events for school students and internships are planned. Shimizu: “At the beginning we are deliberately focusing on just a small number of activities to gain initial joint experience. In the long term we have many options. This is after all a long-term partnership, which will be constantly developed in a way that benefits both sides.”

Uhde in particular already has a firm foothold in Russia with its subsidiary OAO Uhde, founded in 1994. Numerous other companies from the Group and the Technologies segment are also operating in the country and receiving new orders. OAO Uhde is growing quickly and will soon need young engineers. But the university collaboration is not just about direct recruitment: “We want to inspire young people to take up careers in technology, support them with their studies and provide a practical point of reference,” says Labonte. And of course ThyssenKrupp Technologies also wishes to present itself as an attractive employer who takes care of potential future employees from an early stage. Labonte: “We would be delighted to have well trained Russian engineers working for us in the future.”

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