Problems of Training Specialists to Ensure Safety in the Mining Industry

The coal industry in Russia set a course for innovation in accordance with the new edition of the Development Program for the period up to 2035. This requires competent highly qualified specialists capable of implementing innovations in the fuel and energy industry. Reliability of all the engineering and technical systems depends on the qualifications and competence of a specialist, his ability to making decision, assess the situation and take responsibility for his actions at each stage of the technological process. At the same time, the role of the human factor and the level of personnel training in modern conditions are significantly increasing. Training of specialists for the mining industry began with the establishment of the Higher Mining School in 1773 in St. Petersburg. During flourishing of the USSR, the system of mining education was recognized worldwide: about 40 universities, more than 90 secondary specialized educational institutions and 154 vocational schools provided training according to the unified programs of the corresponding level of education. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the formation of modern Russia (transition of the mining enterprises into the private hands) made it necessary to reconsider both approaches to training specialists (from a knowledge system to a competency-based training system), and in the structure of content (from the individual disciplines to the types of work, professional standards for the corresponding types of activity). Introduction of the new requirements is reflected in the Federal State Educational Standards for Higher and Secondary Vocational Education. The rate of economic growth and the need to always remain in demand in the labor market encourages the revival of cooperation between educational organizations and communities of employers in the practical training of students, training and mentoring in the workplaces. These approaches are the result of global changes in the world, the development of technology and innovation, as well as the sustainable development of the economy and the ability to safely exist in a high-tech world.