Norilsk Nickel develops cooperation with higher education establishments

Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter referred to as MMC Norilsk Nickel, the Company or the Group) informs that the Company triggered, on June 15, a next in turn phase of corporate program “Professional take-off”. More than 400 students of 3-4 year in technical field from 15 higher educational establishments (HEE) come to the Company divisions to pass summer field experience.

Students’ selection for taking part in the “Professional take-off” program was carried on by representatives of the Company’s production divisions who had visited HEE in the beginning of the year.

To bring to life the corporate “Professional take-off” program, the Company cooperates with 22 HEE of Russia.

A pilot project was launched in cooperation with Siberian Federal University (SFU) within the frames of the current Strategic partnership agreement signed by the Company and SFU in 2010. Selecting future participants in the “Professional take-off” program, the project promoters used a new methodology aiming at employment of students better motivated for further work in the Company.

Such selections are not the sole SFU-Company campaign. To elevate the quality of eventual Company’s employees preparation, the Mining, Geologic and Geotechnological Institute, as part of the SFU, supported by the Company, inaugurated in March of 2012 computer modeling and mining design laboratory. At the same time, the SFU and MMC Norilsk Nickel signed a target program “Effective SFU and MMC Norilsk Nickel cooperation for 2012-2015”.

All the participants in the “Professional take-off” program receive Company’s reimbursement for the there-and-back transportation to the field experience location, municipal transportation, catering, habitation and salary. Besides, students take active part in cultural and sports corporate events.

Since 2011 the Company introduced corporate scholarship. In 2012- 2013, monthly scholarship will comprehend 4100 roubles.

Good reputation students may sign a contract on target program and, graduated from HEE, come and work as an employee.


Corporative programs on HEE cooperation

MMC Norilsk Nickel elaborated corporate programs “Professional take-off” and “Trainee” in order to bring to life one of top-priority vectors of personnel selection policy – engagement of young and qualified specialists to guaranty the Company’s demand in qualified personnel. The principal milestone is target selection and invitation of HEE graduates.


“Professional take-off” program candidates are 3-5 year students who shall participate as trainees in real production process, gain skills experience under the guidance of qualified professionals , and once graduated from HEE, get employed in the Group of companies Norilsk Nickel. Getting acquainted with the enterprise and gaining a trainee experience facilitates freshmen accommodation with independent work and reduces professional and social adaptation terms.

Depending on future profession or occupation, the participant in the program may count upon a corresponding hourly wage rate or salary, while non-native students have there-and-back transportation compensation and students dormitory accommodation. In 2011, 544 students took part in the “Professional take-off” and, ended professional training, 68 students became employees of the Company. As part of the “Professional take-off” program, a business game “Norilsk summer academy” was held among trainees at Group premises (272 students from 13 HEE).

The “Trainee” program incorporates HEE graduates not older than 30 years, without working experience, selected on a tender basis. If selected, the graduate becomes a trainee and gets training from an experienced worker, and after the training and a positively passed exam may be employed by the Company. While training, the trainee gets a fixed-term contract. Overall 226 people took part in the “Trainee” program in 2011, and 67 people were employed by the Company.


ABOUT MMC NORILSK NICKEL

MMC Norilsk Nickel, a company incorporated under the laws of the Russian Federation, is the largest diversified mining and metals company in Russia, the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium and one of the world's largest producers of platinum, rhodium, copper and cobalt. In addition to this, MMC Norilsk Nickel produces a large number of other by-products, including gold, silver, tellurium, selenium, iridium and ruthenium.

The key production units of the Company’s group in Russia are at the Polar and Kola Peninsulas. MMC Norilsk Nickel international assets include operations in Finland, Australia, Botswana and South Africa.

MMC Norilsk Nickel’s shares are traded at MICEX-RTS. ADR’s on the Company’s shares are traded on the other the counter market in the US and at the London and Berlin stock exchanges.