The laser industry needs manpower

Today, the Photonics 2023 conference programme has featured the joint meeting of the Council of Head Technologists, the Technology Platform and the Laser Association on human resources for the photonics industry.

The event was organised by Shvabe AO, the Laser Association and EXPOCENTRE AO.

“The need for manpower has increased dramatically. The shortage in all professions in the optical industry is very tangible today,” said the meeting's moderator, Deputy General Director for Advanced Research and Development at Shvabe, head of the priority technology area for optoelectronics and photonics technologies, Doctor of Technical Sciences Sergey Popov. “The old educational system does not meet the demands of the times. The universities do not have the necessary equipment. Teachers do not fully understand what the industry’s enterprises need.”

Mikhail Khoroshev, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor of Applied Optics at Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography, Member of the Scientific and Technical Council of the Laser Association, outlined in his speech the proposals of the Laser Association for improving the training system for the industry.

“The problem must be solved with a single course of action for all components of vocational training, starting at secondary school, including through a return to full secondary education. It is necessary to strengthen training in chemistry and physics in school education,” said the speaker, adding that a close connection between school and real production is very important.

Speaking about the second component, Mikhail Khoroshev focused on the professional training of future industry professionals. He drew attention to the need to establish unified national requirements for the basic part of curricula for each level of training. He concluded, “At present, each higher education institution draws up its own programmes according to its capabilities. The result is that we end up with different specialists in different regions.”

Mikhail Khoroshev concluded his speech by summing up all of the proposals, “The main thing is the participation of scientific and industrial organisations in the creation of training and production centres. Nothing can be solved without industry representatives.”

Leading Researcher of the Project Management Department of the Photonics Competence Centre Irina Azanova, Chief Researcher of the ITMO Institute of Laser Technologies, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Vadim Veiko, Deputy Director General for HR Development at Shvabe AO Alexey Atlanov, Director of Regional Center of Laser Technology, Chair at the Board of the Urals Regional Centre of the Laser Association Anatoly Sukhov, and other representatives of universities and manufacturing companies also spoke on the main topic of the meeting.

Many of the speakers spoke in favour of reinstating the system of distribution of graduates from educational institutions who receive free education at the expense of the state budget.

Other participants of the joint meeting included Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Vasily Shpak, Deputy Director of the Department for Certification of Research and Teaching Staff of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education Mikhail Petrov, Managing Director for R&D activities at Rostec State Corporation Elena Druzhinina, and President of the Laser Association Ivan Kovsh.

As a result of the meeting, it is planned to prepare and send relevant proposals to the Russian Ministries of Industry and Trade, and Science and Higher Education for their further joint implementation.

Press Service, EXPOCENTRE AO