S7 Technics specialists evaluated the professional potential of MSTU CA students

This year, representatives of the 4th course of three directions (mechanics, electricians and fuels & lubricants) fought for the victory.

The competition committee evaluated the work of students. S7 Technics’ part of the jury consisted of Sergey Shalaginov, Head of the Boeing Aircraft Line Maintenance Section, Roman Blinnikov, Head of the Airbus Line Maintenance Section, and Ruslan Kireev, Lead Engineer of the Aircraft Engines & Auxiliary Power Units (IC) Department. Representatives of Aeroflot and A-Technics were also present.

Vadim Michkasov, Senior Lecturer, Department of Aircraft Engines (DLA), MSTU CA:
– The “Perspective Engineer” competition is being held for the fourth time, and this year a record number of students – more than 30 senior students – took part in it. The main idea of the competition is to test theoretical knowledge in the field of aircraft systems operation and practical skills on the Boeing 737NG and Airbus A320 procedural simulators.
I can note that the level of the participants has become a step higher in comparison with previous years. This is due to the fact that the teachers themselves become more experienced, moreover they are working as aviation specialists. Accordingly, the material becomes more complex and interesting, and the level of training of students also grows.
For students, participation in the competition is a great opportunity to test their knowledge and present themselves to potential employers. As a rule, we can safely recommend the finalists to the members of the competition committee for employment.

There two stages of the competition. At the first stage, the guys had to answer questions, fill out a schematic diagram of one of the Boeing 737NG  systems and Airbus A320 aircraft, indicating the names of its elements. Everyone who was able to complete the task in English was awarded additional points by the jury.

Ruslan Kireev, Lead Engineer of the Department of Aircraft Engines & Auxiliary Power Units (IC):
– The first stage tasks were interesting and unique for each direction. At the second stage of the TBS program, the questions that the participants worked through were also relevant – without special knowledge and preparation, it wouldn’t have been possible to solve them. So the organizers did their best with questions.
I was pleased with the level of training of the participants. They have never seen the aircraft live and have not been on the apron, they study materiel only using training materials and a virtual simulator. It was cool!

According to the results of the first stage, six participants made it to the finals: two students of the Faculty of Mechanics who took a course on Boeing, two students of electrical engineering who studied Airbus, and two students of the Fuel & Lubricants Department who also studied Airbus. In the second round, in 30 minutes, they had to correct the defect of the aircraft, correctly draw up production documentation and justify the actions taken by the jury members.

Sergey Shalaginov, Head of the Line Maintenance Section for Boeing Aircraft:
– Taking into account the fact that all comers took part in the competition, regardless of the current average mark in the diploma, it turned out to be a fairly clean experiment. In the end, the strongest won, and the opinions of the jury members coincided practically on each of the prizes.
I was very impressed by the atmosphere of the competition, the host side approached the preparation and implementation of the planned event with all responsibility on the eve of the anniversary of our University. The excitement and desire to show themselves among the students was visible, as well as the excitement of the teachers, who put their strength and soul into each of the participants throughout the year.

All the contestants showed a high level of professional knowledge, and despite the fact that many students, as it turned out in the process, had never even been to the airport or aircraft hangar. The lack of practical training is, of course, the weakest point of preparation. As a rationalization idea, I propose to consider the possibility of a summer internship in our company for all finalists of the competition.

All finalists demonstrated a decent level of knowledge and ability to work with documentation (MEL, AMM), coped with the task and answered additional questions from the jury members.

The winners of the “Perspective Engineer 2021” competition:
1st place – Pavel Repin, student of “Technical operation of aviation electrical systems of flight and navigation complexes”.
2nd place – Evgeny Gubenko, student of “Aircraft flights provision with aviation fuels, lubricants and special fluids”
3rd place – Alexey Melnikov, student of “Technical operation of aircraft and engines”.

As a result of the competition, all the winners and finalists were not only presented with prizes, but also offered to pass an interview for further decision-making on employment at S7 Technics.

Roman Blinnikov, Head of the Airbus Line Maintenance Section:
– Such competitions give students the opportunity to test their knowledge and practical skills in conditions close to real ones, the ability to solve diffrenet tasks that they will face in the workplace. Show yourself and your desire not only to the teaching staff, but also to a potential employer, to whom, perhaps, they will come for an interview. And the employer may not conduct this interview, because the competition, in my opinion, clearly enough, honestly and objectively demonstrates the level of candidates.
By the way, the level of students training is very high. The training program, the skills acquired by young specialists in just one academic year, despite the fact that they have never been on the apron or in the hangar, have never touched a real aircraft – this is very impressive!