CAREER GUIDANCE LESSONS FOR SCHOOLS

In 2013, Ust-Donetsk port resumed cooperation with schools in career guidance of the students.

The acquaintance of students of schools No. 1 and No. 2 with the port of Ust-Donetsky community started with career guidance lessons given to 8^th- and 10^th-graders by Victor Lyakhov, director general of UDP.

The head of the enterprise told the schoolchildren about particularities of working at the port, main cargoes of UDP, environmental safety measures and port professions. Victor Lyakhov paid special attention to telling about sulfur, its chemical properties and use in industry. The children received booklets about the activity of the enterprise, materials useful in studying and memorabilia.

Already after a week the schoolchildren could see the port working, as part of the Open day in Ust-Donetsk port. "The port is a regime object with authorized access only, this is why far not everyone may take a look at the port life from within," Victor Lyakhov said. "The Open day allowed students and teachers to see with their own eyes what Ust-Donetsk port lives by and how the environmental standards are adhered to." Sergei Filimonov, chief engineer of UDP, told the schoolchildren about specialized port equipment, the technology of transshipment of sulfur, environmental standards and safety.

Alongside with that, the children got acquainted with the port employees and learned what professions were currently in demand here. "The enterprise is willing to support the young professionals. For example, an additional scholarship may be paid by the port during the time of study at the secondary or higher educational establishment in the speciality which is sought for. Such program is already up and running," Serghey Filimonov pointed out.

The schoolchildren saw the cargo area, repair and mechanic workshops, turning shop… The teachers who accompanied them in the tours spoke the word for not just the annual open day but also arranging master classes at the port, in particular, in turnery, because the schools have no suitable equipment. The port welcomed the idea, and the career guidance work will be carried on in the autumn.

"Working with schoolchildren is an important link in the port's social activity. In the Soviet times, there was close cooperation with schools set up. Unfortunately, this tradition was lost later. Today we are reviving the work in career guidance for schoolchildren," Victor Lyakhov added.