20.05.2008 // Information Department of Leningrad NPP

Young engineers are preparing for MNTK-2008

The young engineers of Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant are preparing for the 6th International Scientific and Technical Conference “Safety, Efficiency and Economics of Nuclear Power Industry – MNTK-2008” to be held in Moscow on May 21–23.

The deputy chief engineer for safety and stability of LNPP Konstantin Kudryavtsev has organized a kind of “rehearsal” and has heard the reports his young colleagues are planning to present at MNTK. He asked them “tricky” questions so as they be morally ready to face a big authoritative audience and to make a creditable showing.

After the meeting he asked our questions:

— Who is engineer?

— As far as I remember, classics said that engineer is a person who can do everything. It is true: the basic theoretical and practical knowledge they acquire at university and on site help them to solve a very wide range of problems. Engineer is a person who can invent and design a new technology and a new service process.

— What is the peculiarity of engineering mentality?

— To tell the truth, I have never thought about this. Engineer is a creative person. He can foresee the consequences of his decisions. Engineer must be able to analyze the decision he is going to make, to look at them from different points of view. A scientist does not always foresee the consequences of their inventions. He invents something like a nuclear bomb without caring for the consequences. Sometimes, he may even be unaware of them. But an engineer must know what to expect from his inventions.

— What a role does engineering has in our industry, economy, society?

— Engineering means development. Lack of development means stagnation, a dull bog. I am really pleased to watch how my young colleagues are preparing for the conference. They have prepared quite serious reports. They are showing mature approach and have learned to present their thoughts in a comprehensible way so as people understand what they want. It is important that they realize their goals, see the future result of their work. Engineers are people who can put theory into practice.

— What do engineers need for their own selves. What should they do for enhancing the prestige of their profession?

— Prestige is good but we also need material remuneration. When people see that an engineer can earn enough money to buy a good house and to afford good rest, the prestige of this profession will grow.

In our country the prestige of engineering occupations fell as long ago as the Soviet times. In the Soviet Union workers earned much more than engineers and most of engineers would choose that profession just because their parents were engineers.

After the collapse of the USSR, preference was given to the methods we formerly called “speculation” and now called “an ability to build own business.” Today, our youth have different goals and priorities. They see that in trade, private business and services they can earn much more.

What can a young engineer afford today? He cannot even afford borrowing money for a house because he has no money for prepayment. So, the prestige of engineering occupations continues to fall. But there are happy exceptions too: for example, the Department for Complex Process Automation Systems of Nuclear Power Plants, NIKIET, highly values its engineers and pays them high wages.

Sergey Ukharov, the technical director of the department recruits students of Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, not just «A» students (because there are different «A» students) but people with brains. Since some employees of the department give lectures at the institute they know who is good and who is bad. At first, they involve them in their projects and pay wages in addition to their scholarships and then they give them constant jobs. Those guys are really excellent engineers!

— Is participation ay MNTK a stimulus for young engineers?

— Of course, it is. Do you know why? Because each young engineer coming to work at a nuclear power plants is guided and instructed by “fathers-commanders-bosses” who tell him exactly what to do, while at such conference a young engineer meets and communicates as equal with much more experienced people. He represents the whole plant – that’s why I am so demanding with respect to the works – and feels himself a head of department, an equal to experts – at such conferences young people can talk with experts as equal and even argue with them.

I think that this is a good stimulus for the professional and personal growth of young engineers. Such communication enhances their self-esteem. They establish personal contacts, which later help them much in their work.

Just look, our young engineer from the laboratory of nuclear fuel Igor Cheremiskin is talking with the head of laboratory of NIKIET, the author of all our fuel assemblies Anatoly Kupalov-Yeropolk.

— Mr.Kurdryavtsev, it seems that you are happy to communicate with young people on equal terms.

— Because it is interesting. You know we do the same thing. Simply I have worked a bit longer than they. When I was a young engineer I was also guided by an expert, the deputy chief engineer for science of Leningrad NPP Vladimir Ryabov. He never looked down on anybody. One more example is Yuri Garusov, formerly the chief engineer and now the chief inspector of the plant: he is always ready to answer your questions, to explain what and why. This is really excellent school. We have learned much and now we are sharing our experience with younger generation while they give us their enthusiasm. This is a mutually beneficical communication.
 
Interview by Olga Petrova