Personnel qualification enhancement activities along with cooperation with national universities in pursue to recruit and attract young talents significantly contribute to the creation of the KPO talent pool. KPO is among the signatories of Memorandum of Cooperation as of September 29, 2015 between KAZENERGY Association, PSA LLP and North Caspian Operating Company N.V., which is aimed at selection of candidates to be provided with educational grant, funded by North-Caspian and Karachaganak projects. Yet another essential area for KPO is the professional training of young specialists for Kazakhstani petroleum industry. As part of dual education program, KPO has rolled out a number of initiatives and educational programs for youngsters. The aim of educational programs is to give insights into cutting-edge working practices underlying the new oil and gas production technologies and international standards. The selected students are participated in the professional training program from the training stage until the stage when they are considered as potential candidates to hold the company’s positions. Interaction with universities is carried out through the Student Placement Programme based on the relevant agreements. Likewise, there is Student Digital Fest competition for students, partnered by KPO, which facilitates the recruitment and development of talented young people. Participation at any contest or competition raises in energetic, pro-active, competitive people abilities to generate breakthrough ideas and to find best solutions to pressing issues. Each of the participants of the Student Digital Fest competition is a winner by default. But the best ones are expected to be employed by the most prestigious national and international companies including KPO. In 2019, 313 students from 31 educational institutions had practical and pregraduate internship on 24 specialties in various departments of KPO. In the period from 2013 to 2019, 2678 people had their student placement in KPO with 172 people were further hired by the company. In 2017, KPO launched the Enhanced Development Programme aimed at identifying high-potential local employees and further developing their skills. The programme creates conditions to obtain knowledge and skills necessary for sustainable professional development and career growth. This would help the company successfully reach its set goals and objectives. The process of this program is based on applying development tools, such as coaching, formal training, certified programmes and others.
Mentoring is an additional development tool practiced as part of the Enhanced Development Programme, which proved to be an effective method in increasing work performance among employees by conducting on-job trainings and providing support with working issues. Mentoring helps employees develop their personal and managerial skills by coaching and experience exchange both with tutor and other programme participants. In career development the primary responsibility rests with an employee. However, active support of an experienced tutor is extremely helpful for skill development. Besides that, the company organized and held “Key competencies of internal coaching” trainings for mid-level and high-level managers to promote development and to raise effectiveness of conducted mentoring sessions and also working sessions (master - classes) aimed to strengthen the acquired knowledge, where junior employees are engaged either.
Photo source: KPO