ENU hosted the dialogue platform "Employer – student: Mentoring as a vector of development"

On September 3, 2025, the Department of Standardization, certification and metrology held a dialogue platform "Mentoring as a vector of development: Employer – Student". The meeting brought together the university's management, government officials, employers, and students in grades 1-4.

The event was opened by Umirzhan Kokaev, Dean of the Transport and Energy Faculty, emphasizing the role of the department in training specialists who are in demand in all key industries.

Vice-rector for Academic Affairs Ardak Beysenbai made a welcoming speech, noting that the development of a mentoring system and partnership with employers is a strategic goal of the university: "We must train specialists not only with fundamental knowledge, but also with practical skills. It is important that every student understands: the university and employers are working together for your future success."

Gulnara Yashkina spoke on behalf of the Committee for Technical Regulation and Metrology of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who emphasized the importance of future specialists as agents of innovation and international standards.

Rustem Aimenov, Head of the Department of Committee for Technical Regulation and Metrology of the Ministry of Trade and Integration in Astana, drew attention to the importance of digital competencies and graduates' readiness to meet the challenges of the global economy.

The highlight of the meeting was a speech by Gulmira Baymurzina, a mentor of the department and a graduate student at Bauman Moscow State Technical University (Moscow). She spoke with inspiration about her profession and the importance of metrology: "Metrology is the science that underlies innovation and safety. Each accurate measurement result represents the trust of society and the competitiveness of the country. Being a metrologist means working for the future."

Her words provoked a lively response and inspired the students to feel the value of their profession.

The students were particularly interested in the presentation by Anara Isakova, Head of the Department of Methodology and Personnel Development at the RSE "National Accreditation Center".

She spoke about the key role of accreditation in the conformity assessment system and explained why accredited bodies and laboratories form public confidence in the quality of products and services.

Anara Berikova noted that the profession in the field of accreditation requires high responsibility, deep knowledge in the field of standards and continuous professional development. She also stressed:

"Accreditation is not only a strict procedure, but also a way to international recognition of our specialists and organizations. Each of you can become a part of this system and contribute to strengthening confidence in Kazakhstani products on the world market.

" Her presentation was accompanied by practical examples, which made the information even more valuable for students. The students learned about career prospects in the accreditation bodies and what competencies will help them successfully realize themselves in this field.

Ramazanova Maigul, Acting Head of the Department of Science and Education of RSE KazStandart, made a meaningful speech to the participants of the dialogue platform.

She stressed that science and education in the field of standardization and metrology today play a key role in the development of the economy, and the training of qualified specialists is becoming a priority of state policy.

"Our task is not only to develop standards, but also to educate a new generation of specialists who will implement these standards. This requires close cooperation between universities, employers and government institutions," she said.

The students were particularly interested in her suggestion about the possibility of their participation in the development of standards. According to Maigul Aitbayevna, young professionals can bring a fresh perspective and new ideas, especially in such relevant areas as digitalization, ecology, sustainable development and product quality.

She also spoke about the training and advanced training system operating at Kazstandart, where students and young professionals can gain practical knowledge, work on research projects and directly participate in standardization processes.

The students expressed keen interest and asked questions about how to join the standards working groups and what competencies are needed for this.

The speech of Aida  Tasybayeva, the Chief Manager for the Coordination of metrology of JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, attracted special attention of the participants.

She presented a presentation on the metrological support system at KTZ, describing in detail the structure of the metrology service and its role in ensuring the safety and quality of transportation.

In her report, Aida Serikbayevna noted that KTZ has a multi—level metrological support system:

the corporate level (chief engineer - head of the metrological service),

network and regional levels,

verification laboratories of branches and line divisions.

The students learned that the company has more than 30 accredited laboratories (compliance with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2019) that verify measuring instruments for electrical, radio engineering and geometric quantities.

Of particular interest was information about the AS Metrology corporate system, which is registered as an intellectual property object and is used for monitoring, processing and storing data on metrological support throughout the company.

"For the railway industry, metrology is a guarantee of safety and reliability. The accuracy of each measurement directly affects the movement of trains, the safety of goods and the lives of passengers," Aida Serikbayevna emphasized.

Students actively asked questions about how to get an internship in KTZ departments, and what qualities are needed to work in the field of transport metrology. The speaker noted that the company is interested in young staff and is ready to provide internship and employment opportunities.

The final part of the dialogue platform was devoted to students of the educational programs "Standardization and Certification" and "Metrology". The students prepared short presentations and actively engaged in discussions with employers and mentors.

The students were interested in a variety of questions:

what is the average salary of a novice specialist;

what key competencies are valued when applying for a job;

is it possible to combine study with practice and internship;

what specific challenges do metrologists face in transport and in accreditation bodies?;

how to participate in the development of standards.

The topic of excursions was especially vividly discussed: students shared their impressions of visiting enterprises and metrological centers, noting that it is precisely such practice-oriented trips that help to truly understand the profession.

"When we visited the laboratory where the instruments are checked, I realized for the first time how responsible the work of a metrologist is. An error in measurements can affect the quality of the whole production," one of the students shared his impression.

As part of the dialogue platform, students also shared their impressions of a recent trip to the road construction laboratory. The students saw how building materials are tested, how their quality is controlled, and which instruments are used for accurate measurements.

Future specialists were shown the processes:

-testing the strength and stability of materials,

-analysis of asphalt concrete and cement mixtures,

-measurement methods that are directly related to road safety.

The students noted that the tour helped them "see the profession with their own eyes" and understand how the knowledge gained in the classes on metrology and standardization is used in practice.

"During the tour, we saw that metrology is not only a theory and formulas, but also specific measurements on which road quality and traffic safety depend," the participants emphasized.

Employers supported the idea of holding more such field classes so that students could feel the specifics of the profession even more deeply and see the real objects where their future specialty is applied.

Employers supported the initiative and confirmed their willingness to conduct new excursions for students to enterprises and metrological services.

Thus, student questions and activity showed that young people strive not only for knowledge, but also for live experience, mentoring and dialogue with practitioners.

Concluding the dialogue platform, the head of the Department of Standardization, Certification and Metrology, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Bakhytkul Baikhozhaeva summed up the results of the event.

She thanked the guests for their informative presentations and stressed that the meeting was an important step in strengthening the partnership between the university and employers.

"Today we have seen that our students are interested not only in theory, but also in the practical side of the profession — working conditions, salary levels, opportunities to participate in the development of standards and accreditation, the role of metrology in transport safety. It is this kind of open dialogue that helps to train specialists who will be in demand tomorrow," said Professor Baizhayeva Bakhytkul.

She stressed that the department will continue to actively develop mentoring, organize excursions to enterprises, and create more opportunities for students in the field of internships, joint projects, and research.

After the official part, a photo session and informal communication took place, where employers and students continued to discuss future cooperation.