Training ecosystem
Nornickel’s contribution to the Stable and Dynamic Economy national goal
Targets and objectives:
j) By 2030, establish an effective system for employee training, retraining, and upskilling in priority sectors of the economy, based on projected labour market needs
k) By 2030, create conditions enabling at least 30 percent of students to acquire multiple qualifications simultaneously through vocational education
l) By 2030, create institutional frameworks for the continuous professional development of employed citizens, including opportunities for acquiring new professions and upgrading existing skills
Nornickel’s performance highlights and plans
- Regular cooperation with Russian universities and colleges, including participation in developing training programmes that reflect the needs of both the business and the industry as a whole (e.g. launch of the AI in Industry partnership master’s programme in 2024)
- Creation of training infrastructure for both students and employees: launch of the Kola Metals and Mining education and production centre in 2024 and further development of the Norilsk Nickel Corporate University
- Work placement internships for students at Group enterprises (821 participants in 2024), with the potential for future employment
- Implementation of the Training Strategy for 2022–2025, with the next phase planned for 2026–2028
Nornickel’s contribution to the Youth and Children national project
Relevant UN SDGs
Related federal projects
Professionalitet
Russia – the Country of Opportunities
We Stand Together
Only the Best for Children
Key initiatives and focus areas
Employee training and development programmes, including further development of the Nornickel Academy educational platform
Corporate scholarships for university students and internship opportunities with Group companies
Grants for educational institutions and projects through the World of New Opportunities charitable programme (for more details, please see the Improving the Well‑Being of Local Communities section).
Nornickel’s ecosystem‑based approach covers a wide range of training areas, targets various categories of employees and potential candidates, and enables the continuous acquisition of new and enhancement of existing knowledge and skills. This approach is designed to help employees achieve high levels of professional performance and unlock their full potential. Nornickel’s HR team is committed to ensuring that every employee within Nornickel has ample opportunities to pursue personal goals that align with the Company’s interests and goals – an ambition made possible through a robust system of continuous training and development.
Key employee training indicators
404-1 GRI 14.17.7, 14.21.4
UNCTAD C.2.1, MED‑31
The significant increase in training volume in 2024 was driven by regulatory changes and the transformation of a manager’s role in the Company, both of which directly required enhanced training efforts.
Lower training costs in 2023–2024 were due to the increased availability of training programmes through Nornickel Academy and changes in the mix of training initiatives.
Since 2023, there has been a structural shift towards in‑house training, driven by the development of the Nornickel Academy platform, which now has over 79.8 thousand registered users.
In 2024, the proportion of employees who received training continued to grow, reaching 95% of the total workforce, or more than 77 thousand employees.
In line with market trends, a significant portion of management training has been moved to an online learning platform, which is in high demand among both managers and specialists. The ratio of remote to in‑person training formats stands at 68% to 32%, respectively.
Training Strategy for 2022–2025
GRI 404-2 GRI 14.8.3, 14.17.8
Nornickel continued implementing its Training Strategy for 2022–2025, which is built around a flexible, personalised, and forward‑looking lifelong learning model – from student to retiree.
In 2024, the Training Strategy for 2022–2025 focused on the implementation of initiatives within the Enhancing Professional Excellence and Continuous Leadership Training areas. All focus areas of the strategy are presented in Nornickel’s 2023 Sustainability Report.
The year 2025 will mark the final stage in implementing the current Strategy, which has primarily targeted programme content and core competencies. The Training Strategy for 2026–2028 will focus on the effectiveness of training as a business process and on the quality of the training experience from the user journey perspective. With training content already in place, the next priority is to improve the usability and accessibility of the learning process – this will be the key focus over the next three years.
Training Strategy implementation in 2024: priorities and achievements by focus area
Enhancing professional excellence
Managing qualification levelsIn 2024, the Company continued implementing a modular approach to vocational training. Some 70 new training programmes were developed, helping reduce the amount of off‑the‑job training by 7%.
There was a decline in the number of appeals filed in response to professional competence assessments – a direct outcome of the Company’s consistent efforts to implement a structured vocational training system.
In 2024, the Company launched an open corporate programme enabling employees to develop their HR management skills, offering participants the opportunity to earn a certificate of professional development. More than 500 Nornickel employees participated in the programme.
In 2024, Nornickel continued its close cooperation with universities and colleges. Specifically:
- The Kola Metals and Mining education and production centre was opened in Monchegorsk; 175 students were enrolled, with the Company planning to employ 85% of graduates;
- AI in Industry, a joint master’s degree programme offered by Nornickel and Central University, was launched (for more details, please see the Digital technology development section);
- The amount of Nornickel’s corporate scholarship was increased and the list of eligible student categories was expanded. The scholarship is available to students of higher education and secondary vocational institutions who have completed the Company’s youth programmes, show good and excellent academic results, and have signed a targeted education contract. It is also offered to students of Fedorovsky Polar State University and colleges in Norilsk and the Murmansk Region, subject to a number of conditions related to their field of study and academic progress;
- The all‑Russian Digital Non‑Ferrous Metallurgy forum, held at the Monchegorsk Polytechnic College, has transformed into a productive platform for sharing experience, showcasing innovative solutions, and fostering stronger ties between science, industry, and education;
- The Proryvnik student ambassadors project was launched, with 26 students completing training in communications and social media marketing (SMM), building their personal brand, and gaining insight into career opportunities at Nornickel. These student ambassadors will act as Nornickel champions, raising awareness of the Company across their universities and local communities;
- Large‑scale events were held for students, including the Company Day: Towards the North at Siberian Federal University, which attracted around 1 thousand students. The event featured top managers from Nornickel and included a rich programme of educational lectures, interactive quests, career dialogues, and a poster session with VR technologies. In addition, first‑year students from Norilsk educational institutions participated in sessions featuring engineering games, interactive zones, and career‑themed areas. Designed as an introduction to the Company, the event brought together over 500 students
The first contact students have with Nornickel typically takes place during practical training, where college and university students from the Company’s host cities engage directly with their future profession at actual production sites.
Each year, engineering and business students are invited to take part in the Conquerors of the North online course. In 2024, the course was hosted for the first time on the In Good Company platform, where participants had the opportunity to connect with Nornickel’s young professionals and gain insight into the Company’s corporate culture.
Students from leading engineering universities and industry‑related colleges across Russia also had the chance to test‑drive their future careers in the Arctic through the Career Start‑Up and Polar College programmes held at Group enterprises. As a result of these programmes, over 50% of participants were subsequently employed by the Company.
Every summer, student construction brigades are organised for future miners, metal workers, power engineers, and mechanics, offering them the opportunity to get first‑hand experience in their chosen professions, bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills, and gain hands‑on experience with advanced industry equipment.
In the reporting year, the Company continued to develop its interactive career guidance portal, Nornickel’s City of Occupations – a project aimed at those exploring future professional paths. The platform features an interactive map tailored for school students and offering 1 career guidance test, 12 industry‑themed regions, descriptions of 13 professional areas and 147 occupations, and 23 interactive quizzes. Since 2024, Nornickel’s City of Occupations has expanded offline: Nornickel employees now regularly deliver career guidance lessons for school students, built around the portal’s content. So far, five dedicated lessons have been developed to introduce school students to engineering careers and the Company’s internal operational business processes. The new digital portal serves several target audiences – including school students, their parents, and career counsellors – and helps young people make informed decisions about their future careers. In 2024, offline career events in Norilsk alone reached more than 6 thousand school students aged 14 to 18.
As part of its broader career guidance efforts, the Company also organises tours of its production facilities to introduce students to various professions, educational institutions, and the city of Norilsk. More than 50 guided tours were held during the reporting period, involving around 1 thousand school students.
In addition, regular guided tours are organised at the Sulphur Project showroom, while students visit universities and colleges as part of professional tracks, and meet experts during the Nornickel Hour or Nornickel Lessons – the latter specifically tailored to primary school students.
Each year on 1 September, Nornickel also gives a copy of A Book on How Metals Helped Build Cities to all first‑graders living in the Company’s host cities. More than 5,000 children receive the book on the first day of their school journey. This ABC of metallurgy serves as a tool to support the Company’s systematic approach to early career guidance.
Continuous leadership training
Developing capabilities and assisting managers in adapting to leadership rolesIn 2024, Nornickel continued its Leadership School programme for middle management, aimed at developing an understanding of one’s role, mastering modern management practices, tools, and approaches, and gaining experience in cross‑functional collaboration. More than 500 managers completed the programme in 2024.
In the reporting year, the Leadership School was also launched for line managers.
The programme’s distinctive feature is its online delivery via Nornickel’s corporate app Supernika, using an AI‑powered chatbot that provides instant feedback. For example, the chatbot may ask the user to simulate a conversation with a subordinate to discuss performance. The AI models the situation, generates realistic responses from a virtual employee, and analyses the manager’s reactions and emotions. It may then provide communication tips and suggest alternative management approaches. The programme is a “pocket‑size” simulator that enables users to practice various real‑life leadership scenarios, receive recommendations, and strengthen their competencies. Training also includes videos featuring tips from actual Nornickel managers, theory content presented as posts and flashcards, and quizzes to test knowledge retention. The Leadership School is now available to 6 thousand line managers, with over 3.1 thousand completing the training in 2024.
The Company continues to foster a culture of dialogue between management levels through managerial mentorship. Top‑100 managers holding ICF CCE international certificates acted as mentors to high‑potential employees.
In addition, in 2024, leadership practices were cascaded from senior to middle management. Middle managers acquired coaching skills through the Power of Words programme and became leadership coaches. They now conduct routine management workshops for line managers. A total of 40 middle managers have taken on the role of leadership coaches.
Nornickel runs a development programme for employees who have completed a 360‑degree assessment. In 2024, the programme offered a combination of in‑person and online learning, involving both internal and external trainers. The training covered a wide range of topics focused on enhancing management skills and capabilities. Participants selected their training topics independently, based on the results of their assessments, dialogues with managers, and their individual development plans. In 2024, the programme delivered 75 training sessions (+27% y‑o‑y), with over 1.7 thousand completions (+59% y‑o‑y), and eight online master classes with a total of 5.5 thousand views.
Succession planningThe Company builds a talent pool for all management positions on an annual basis.
The Company also systematically builds a dedicated talent pool for line managers in production, including supervisors and section heads. In 2024, employees were encouraged to self‑nominate through the Self‑Nomination to the Talent Pool service, with 130 applications submitted via the Supernika mobile app.
Nornickel continued running mentoring and coaching programmes for high‑potential employees selected by HR committees and included in the talent pool. In addition, an essential part of the development process for talent pool members is the performance of assigned duties, which is evaluated through an automated performance review system. In 2024, more than 890 employees underwent performance evaluation and received feedback.
To further support employee growth and development, Nornickel continues developing its Career Advice service.
Nornickel’s youth ecosystem
Amid demographic challenges, widespread talent shortages, and rapid technological change, Nornickel is focused on the development, retention, and career growth of young employees as well as their engagement and long‑term integration in the regions where the Company operates. To spark interest in engineering careers, attract new talent, develop employee potential and competencies, and enhance quality of life in local communities, the Company is building a unified youth ecosystem. This includes a comprehensive suite of dozens of programmes designed for audiences ranging in age from 5 to 35. This approach enables candidates to follow a seamless path from school to university to early career, while equipping them with a strong foundation of knowledge, skills, and competencies for a successful future in the engineering industry.
| Category | Objectives | Key initiatives and projects run by Nornickel |
|---|---|---|
| Children (5–17 years old) and their parents |
| Nornickel career guidance lessons Guided tours to Group enterprises |
| Students (18–24 years old) |
| Hands‑on educational programmes in partnership with educational institutions |
| Young employees (up to 35 years old) |
| Allies Community |
The development of Nornickel’s youth ecosystem has yielded multiple positive outcomes, most notably increased student enrolment in educational institutions across the Arctic region, a rise in the number of CVs submitted to the Company, and higher engagement levels among young employees in Nornickel’s initiatives and activities.
Given the growing number of youth engagement programmes, the Company plans to systematise and consolidate these initiatives by pooling resources with key stakeholders – including universities, colleges, regional authorities, and others – to further strengthen and expand the unified youth ecosystem.
