A platform for mastery and experience exchange: 6-day marathon of working professions Alabuga-skills finishes
The record for the number of participants has been broken this year — 400 professionals representing 130 enterprises gathered.
Yelabuga welcomed masters of working professions. The republican contest Alabuga-skills was held in the city from 3 to 8 February. More than 400 specialists from 130 companies from Tatarstan, St. Petersburg, the Ulyanovsk, Samara and Penza regions, as well as from Udmurtia, Bashkortostan and Mari El came to the competition. Every year, employees of TAIF-NK JSC are among the winners of the prestigious competition. Welders, turners, milling workers, paramedics, metrologists and chemical analysis technicians are proud to present their company.
“A serious, powerful platform”
The republican industry competition Alabuga-skills is gaining momentum. If in 2020 39 participants, representatives of municipal enterprises, participated in 9 nominations, then in 2025 400 contestants from 130 organisations of Tatarstan and 7 other regions of Russia are already competing for the title of the best.
Over the course of six days, the contestants competed at four venues: Yelabuga Polytechnic College, Progress Driving School, Alabuga-Polytech Educational Centre, and Tatarstan Trading and Production Company. A total of 23 competencies were presented. Milling workers, painting specialists, forklift drivers, chemical analysis technicians, electricians, drivers, agricultural machinery maintenance and repair specialists and others competed.
Welding specialists also arrived, including manual arc welding, argon arc welding and semi-automatic welding.
“Now the participants are competing in the competence of Manual arc welding. The tasks are quite difficult. This year we have reduced the amount of work by 30%, but at the same time we have reduced the execution time. It is necessary to quickly complete the tasks and, at the same time, score the maximum number of points," Ilshat Zainakov, chief expert of the Welding Technologies site, told the Realnoe Vremya correspondent.
As the previous competitions have shown, some of the most qualified welders in Tatarstan work at TAIF-NK JSC. This was confirmed by the chief welding expert.
“TAIF-NK has consistently demonstrated a high level of training, winning prizes for several years. Overall, the results are impressive. Thank you very much, everything is wonderful!” Ilshat Zainakov emphasised.
For Konstantin Burov, a welder from the TAIF-NK refinery, welding is both a profession, a love, and a challenge. Last year, he won first place at the TAIF-NK corporate competition. Today, for the first time, he presents his company at Alabuga-skills. He acts in the competence of “Manual arc welding welder with a non-melting tungsten electrode in an argon protective gas environment.”
“Welder is a profession that requires a creative approach. I am engaged in welding structures, products and pipes made of various types of metal. Our work develops physical skills that will be useful in everyday life. Today I want to show all my skills. Thanks to the company's management for their trust," he said.
For his colleague, Rustem Khosnullin, a gas welder from the refinery, this is the third competition of working professions in Yelabuga, he did not leave without a prize.
'This year, our goal is to take the first place. Last year it was the second one. I think I have every chance. This season there were fewer tasks — only two items. We connected two plates and cooked them in an upright position. It was also necessary to make a T-shaped joint in the ceiling position," Rustem Khosnullin told about the nuances of the competition.
From idea to product
Another sought-after competence at the competition is Universal Turner. The specialty requires highly qualified training. According to turning expert Alexander Sabirov, the participants are given 2 hours to complete the task. During this time, it is necessary to assemble the cutting tool, install it on the machine, and then recreate the part according to the drawing. “Nowadays it is quite difficult to find a good turner, and such contests can really help in this process.
It's nice to see that the number of participants is growing every year, even though the tasks are becoming more complex and the requirements for the contestants are growing," said Alexander Sabirov, the chief turning expert.
A total of 16 participants came to the TAIF-NK professional skills competition. Anton Tukhvatullin, the head of TAIF-NK Training Group, noted that his team is well-coordinated and highly professional. “Our company has been participating in Alabuga-skills since 2022.
The competition covers 23 competencies. We're competing in eight. This is important, useful and necessary for all participants. Firstly, we continue to share our experience, which will help us avoid isolation and allow us to communicate with colleagues from the republic and neighbouring regions. Secondly, it promotes professional development. Thirdly, thanks to your media coverage, new specialists are being attracted and the prestige of working professions is growing," Anton Tukhvatullin shared his opinion on the importance of the competition.
“I help people, it gives my life meaning”
This year, in addition to the usual competencies, TAIF-NK presented its participant in the field of nursing for the first time. Zulfiya Abdullina, a paramedic with 35 years of experience at the gasoline plant, defended the honour of the company. According to her, at first she was afraid of the competition, but after evaluating all the advantages and disadvantages, she decided to apply. “It's been more than 30 years since I graduated from college, and life around me has changed.
Then I thought: why should I stay where I am? I have a good practice, and I decided — it turned out to be the right decision. I talked to colleagues from other companies, it was very informative. During the tests, she successfully answered all the questions, and there were no difficulties. The jury members were friendly, supportive, and even helpful when needed. When I returned to work, I immediately advised my colleagues not to sit still, but to participate and learn new knowledge," she said.
Zulfiya Abdullina was greatly impressed by the special economic zone, where participants in the Nursing competence competed. Paramedics provided emergency care for burns and frostbite, performed heart massage, gave injections, and answered questions. But the final task turned out to be the most interesting and unexpected. “We performed the fourth task with the help of a robot dummy named Leonardo.
He reported his symptoms, and we had to make a diagnosis. I successfully completed this stage — my robot was diagnosed with pneumonia. Although nurses do not have the right to make diagnoses, as this is the area of responsibility of doctors, all our knowledge was taken into account in the competition. It was not difficult to make the diagnosis: Leonardo complained of chest pain. He had wet wheezing, fever, cough and shortness of breath," Zulfiya said.
It is not surprising that Zulfiya Abdullina coped with the tasks so brilliantly. From a young age, she was attracted to medicine.
“Already in the first grade, I was sure that I would become a nurse. I have been in this field for 35 years and have never regretted my choice. I help people, it gives my life meaning. After all, health is the most important thing," she concluded.
Zulfiya is sure that the secret of success is simple: the main thing is to love your job. Dedication to the team and the company unites all employees of TAIF-NK JSC. Young people, watching such experts, begin to realise that a modern worker is a highly qualified specialist who is optimistic about the future.
The results of Alabuga skills competition were announced on February 14. On this day, the participants who took the second and third places received awards. The winners are expected on February 20 in Kazan at the final board of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Tatarstan, where a solemn celebration of the true masters of working professions will take place.
