DTEK Dual Education project that involves DTEK Dnipro Grids is one of the best cases of business without barriers according to the public platform ‘Diia.Business’

DTEK Dnipro Grids launched a dual education project in 2019. The company established cooperation with educational institutions that train specialists in the electric power field and invited them to organize a dual education form for students, so that they could have an internship in the company in parallel with training. Upon completion of training, graduates could become engineers, electromechanics, electricians and continue to work in their degree field.

“DTEK Dnipro Grids is a reliable and conscious company. We are transforming our business in accordance with the New Strategy of DTEK-2030, based on ESG principles and business responsibility for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Global Compact. The Dual Education project is an opportunity to support talented youth. As an employing company, we are interested in having more professional young specialists. Currently, 16 students of technical universities are undergoing internship at DTEK Dnipro Grids. We help to gain practical skills and professions in the energy industry. And upon graduation, we offer the best students a permanent job in the company,” says Andrii Tereshchuk, Director General at DTEK Dnipro Grids.

DTEK is a signatory to the UN Global Compact. The dual education program meets the goals of this document. In particular, Goal 4, which ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. And Goal 8, which promotes sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. In Ukraine, the project was recognized as one of the best cases of business without barriers on the public platform ‘Diia.Business’ and is recommended for implementation by other companies in Ukraine.

Dual students gain knowledge per an individual program, under which they spend thirty percent of their time in classrooms at the university and dedicate seventy percent of their time to practice their skills in an enterprise. The company pays wages and provides a full benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, sick leave, etc.

“This is a great way to learn and reinforce knowledge in practice. Usually, employers are very reluctant to hire graduates with no work experience. Now I have knowledge, experience, and practical skills that can only be obtained in a real enterprise. This is my additional competitive advantage. In addition, I really like the team. Everyone is friendly and always helps us, young people,” says Vladislav Kotenko, level 3 electrical fitter for the switchgear equipment maintenance at DTEK Dnipro Grids, who is undergoing training under the Dual Education program this year.

As of today, 56 students who studied under the dual program have already completed their studies, 28 of them have become employees of DTEK Dnipro Grids. In the 2021-2022 school year, the company plans to admit about 25 more students. To become a participant in the program, a student should be getting an education in a specialty related to energy, be a 3-4 year student in one of the educational institutions that concluded an agreement with a company, fill out a questionnaire and go through selection.

Reference:

DTEK Dnipro Grids is implementing a dual education program in partnership with 6 educational institutions in the region. Among them are the Dnipro Polytechnic National Technical University, the Dnipro State Technical School of Energy and Information Technologies, the Kamensk State Energy College, the Ukrainian Polytechnic College of the State University of Economics and Technology, the Polytechnic Professional College of the Kryvyi Rih National University and the Professional College of Rocket and Space Engineering of the Dnipro National University named after O. Gonchara.