EkoNiva Group, Russia's largest dairy holding, has organised a large-scale event for students of Voronezh State University of Engineering Technologies (VSUET) – EkoNiva Day. On 14 March, they had the opportunity to learn about the company and its working principles, attend lectures from industry specialists and take part in educational workshops.

An important part of the programme was the grand opening of the company's branded area within the university. Together with the rector of VSUET, EkoNiva's leaders presented an original space designed in the Group’s corporate style which will allow students to gain deeper insights into the agricultural sector and have some rest. A screen placed in the branded area will broadcast current information about the projects, job vacancies and career prospects within Russia's largest dairy holding.

As part of EkoNiva Day, the students also had discussions with company employees, who gave an overview of the Group's structure, key priorities, performance indicators, working conditions, opportunities for young professionals and shared their own inspiring career stories. The trainees were told about the experience of scientific research carried out at the holding’s enterprises and listened with keen interest to lectures on cheese production technologies, agroengineering and agritourism.

The rich programme included interactive activities as well: the participants were offered to solve the case ‘Enterprise of the future: from tractor to field, from field to shop shelf’. The results were evaluated by the holding’s experts, and the first-place team received a tourist trip as a gift from EkoNiva.

A tasting of natural dairy products and a colourful photo zone added to the mood of the event.

EkoNiva and VSUET have been working together for seven years. Last year, the company and the university signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, which calls for joint work to create advanced university-based engineering schools. They are essential for forming an effective system for training engineering personnel with skills in demand across various sectors of the processing industry. Students selected for the new project will develop their knowledge and competencies while working in partner companies, with guaranteed employment upon completion of their training. The Advanced Engineering Schools project commenced in September 2024.

‘We have been collaborating closely with EkoNiva as part of VSUET educational project Advanced Engineering Schools aimed at preparing specialists who meet the needs of the modern economy and, specifically, the requirements of the holding’s enterprises. EkoNiva provides substantial support to our students, offering ten scholarships this academic year and planning to increase the number. This reflects a high level of trust and interest in our university. The opening of the company's branded area today further confirms our shared goal and commitment to developing partnership relations. We are confident that such interaction will enhance the quality of education and the training of sought-after specialists’, commented Nikolay Repnikov, Rector of VSUET.

‘Our partnership with VSUET enables us to diversify the educational programmes for students and make their learning more practical. In our turn, we get the opportunity to attract young individuals with new ideas and approaches to the agricultural and dairy production sectors, which are greatly needed by the industry. I am positive that we have much interesting and fruitful work ahead’, noted Ramon Schenk, Regional Director of EkoNiva Group for Voronezh Oblast.