How Oil Training in Samara Region Ensures Youth Inflow

In Samara Oblast, the continuous education system is being further developed. The «School — University — Enterprise» project has recently expanded to include vocational education and training (VET) institutions in the seamless learning process. This corporate project by the oil extraction company involves training future industry specialists through cooperation with leading universities, colleges, and technical schools.

This program was launched in 2005 by Rosneft Oil Company (Rosneft) to develop professional competencies among existing employees and create a quality future personnel reserve from promising schoolchildren and students. In Samara Oblast, the initial stage of the project«s implementation was the establishment of specialized »Rosneft-classes« in schools in Otradny and Pokhvistnevo. These are overseen by the oil extraction enterprise — Samaraneftegaz.

In these classes, in addition to in-depth study of mathematics, physics, and chemistry, pre-university preparation is conducted — schoolchildren are taught by instructors from Samara State Technical University. As a result, the students consistently achieve high scores on exams and are oriented towards enrolling in specialized majors.

Increasingly, applicants are choosing targeted education. This implies a deeper immersion into the profession from student years. So-called «targeted students» participate in corporate projects, receive increased scholarships, learn a working profession at the expense of their future employer, and also undergo internships in production with guaranteed employment after defending their diploma.

In 2025, over 100 young workers were hired by the oil extraction enterprise — graduates from specialized fields of study at universities and VET institutions.

Demand for targeted education in the oil and gas industry is growing. Annually, 250 students enrolled in vocational and higher education programs undergo internships at Samaraneftegaz divisions. Current employees conduct lectures and master classes for them and participate in the work of state certification commissions at educational organizations.

— I studied in a specialized class at a school in Otradny and then decided to sign a targeted contract for study at Samara Polytech. I saw many advantages for myself: a secured job after obtaining higher education, employer support during studies, a good scholarship, invitations to trainings and interesting events. In my second and third years, I completed internships at actual production sites. I might work as a geologist. Now I«m writing my thesis, and together with my academic supervisor, we are analyzing data from fields and studying oil extraction objects, — said Andrey Baklykov, a fourth-year student at the Institute of Oil and Gas Technologies of Samara Polytech.

Under the continuous education program, the Samara oil extraction enterprise cooperates with 12 Russian universities. The main partner is Samara State Technical University (SamGTU): for its students, job fairs, excursions, and career guidance projects are regularly held. In 2025 alone, over 800 people participated in corporate events.

— This is an example of sustainable strategic cooperation aimed at developing education, forming personnel potential, and strengthening the industry«s scientific and practical base. Our interaction is not formal but substantive and practice-oriented. Annually, career guidance events, training sessions are held for students, and they are invited to scientific and practical conferences where future specialists can broaden their professional horizons and develop in-demand competencies. They undergo industrial and pre-diploma internships at production facilities, — commented Olga Nechayeva, director of the Institute of Oil and Gas Technologies at Samara Polytech. — No less significant is the development of the teaching staff»s potential: internships are organized for employees of specialized departments, contributing to the enhancement of their practical training and updating of knowledge.

The «School — College/University — Enterprise» project now also involves students from Neftegorsk State Technical School, Buguruslan Oil College, Otradny Oil Technical School, Samara Energy College, Chapayevsk Chemical Technology Technical School, and the college of SamGTU. For students of these VET institutions, career guidance meetings, developmental and image-building events, and excursions are conducted. The outcome of this multi-level system is a constant influx of young workers with high-level training into various divisions of the oil extraction enterprise.