Following the conclusion of WorldSkills Kazan 2019, members of the Skill Competition Management Team for Plumbing and Heating have remained in the Tatar capital to oversee the installation of three prefabricated sanitary wall plumbing systems at the Derbyshkinskiy Orphanage in Kazan. These systems were assembled in an exclusive, collaborative team project on the final day of this year’s WorldSkills Plumbing and Heating competition.

The installation team has been bolstered with the addition of a student group from the Kazan Construction College, known locally as “KCK” (Казанский строительный колледж). As a result, between 10 and 20 personnel have been onsite during the week to help drive the installation toward completion.

KCK students joining the project this week are Albert Abbazov, Anna Nazimova, Ayrat Giniyatullin, Egor Laurentev, Ilnaz Nazimev and Ramazan Shamsmukhametov. All are fourth-year (final year) plumbing engineering students, each 19 or 20 years old.

“I think our students are getting good experience and practice here,” said Andrey Zobov, the accompanying KCK teacher. “Watching how these masters, experts from around the world, work. For our students, it is of great benefit to see the work of these highly qualified plumbers. It is also a great opportunity for them to work practically with modern systems and equipment — they wouldn’t usually have the chance to do this. So, learning more about modern practice, using the latest systems, and getting hands-on with the most modern equipment and work techniques. It is a great opportunity to see and be part of.”

“These students actually have holidays at the moment,” Zobov added. “But instead, they are here. They want to be here. For them it’s a good initiative, and they are proud to be part of this project.”

Student Anna Nazimova said, “There is a big difference between this and our other college practicals, where we must go whether we like to or not! With this project, I wanted to come and I wanted to help. I am getting to work together with professionals from around the world and I think that is great. I have done some practical plumbing work like this before, as part of my course, and in places like this orphanage. But it is a great honor to be part of this particular project because it is for charity, and I like to help people.”

"IAPMO and WorldSkills should make more of these projects, and bring them to this kind of practice,” said Nazimova’s classmate, Ayrat Giniyatullin. “It will help us gain new skills and new experience. It has been a great project; I liked it. I have learned more about how to make sewer pipes and connect water pipes. The WorldSkills experts and professionals we are working with here are the best. They are from all over world, and experts in their field.”

Further updates from the installation project can be followed at Derbyshkinskiy Orphanage, Kazan, via IAPMO social media and its special project hashtag #SkillsChangeLives.