Vasiliy Shushko

Perpetuum Mobile is a phrase that describes Vasiliy Shushko, Power Plant Operation Manager, best. That is not only because the step counter on his smartphone records 19 thousand steps (fifteen kilometers!) per day. His nature is to always be on the move and to strive for the new.

Vasiliy’s service record for the 18 years of work at the mill was so enormous, that HR had to issue the third labor book to embody his whole list of jobs.

Vasiliy, your position title today is Power Plant Operation Manager. Was it so from the very beginning or had there been a long career path behind?

— I have known about the mill my whole life, as I have always lived in Ezhva. Moreover, my mom worked at the mill. I dreamt of working at our Power Plant, seeing and operating all the turbines and boilers. When I finished Syktyvkar Pulp and Paper Vocational School in 2004, I got a job of a Field Operator at the Boiler Department. It was a temporary position, though, while one of the employees was on vacation. But, as the saying goes, there is nothing more permanent than temporary, and I worked as a substitute for two years. In parallel, I was getting higher education — a Power Engineer specialization at Vyatka State University. And after that I tried out all the possible jobs: Fuel Supply Equipment Operator, Field Operator at the Boiler Department, Field Operator at the Turbine Department, Chief Operator at the Turbine Department, Shift Manager at the Boiler&Turbine Plant 1, and later on Deputy Head of Boiler&Turbine Plant 1, and Leading Maintenance Engineer.

Can you recall what was the most challenging in your early career?

— At my first working day I realized that I would operate the equipment that requires big knowledge and responsibility. It was a struggle to memorize a huge pile of documents prior to working on my own: the numerous flowsheets, working instructions, and rules. But the work no longer seemed that difficult, after I had passed all the exams. If you love your job, challenges do not scare, they make you stronger.

People say, that you asked for all kinds of shifts to be able to work with different mentors during your training period for one of the positions. Why?

— People who can teach and share their practical experience are one of the main values of our company. They are a depository of unique and useful information! I did happen to work with a lot of mentors, and they all were highly professional. They taught me how to operate the Power Plant equipment, and how to act in unforeseen situations. The acquired knowledge helps me to do the right thing at emergencies. Many times I was a mentor myself and taught young employees the safe working principles, in order to make such employees more confident and enable them work on their own.

You had a lot of blue collar jobs at your early career...

— There was also a white collar job in-between — a job of a Control Room Operator, but I simply ran away. I was 21 years at that time, the blood boiled, the heart pounded, and the slow paced work like that appeared to be so unbearably boring! I wanted motion, that is why I asked to shift me to a position of a Field Operator at the Turbine Department, and happily returned to a brush and a shovel to remove the oil. I strongly believe that it is impossible to go without such a hands-on experience at my profession.

What is your favorite part in the managing position?

— My favorite part is coordinating the actions and organizing the works. I am a responsible person myself, and I demand the same from the others. It makes me proud, when the repair leads to faultless operation. And I am also happy, when I organize people, and they complete the task successfully. The machines are more or less the same, and all people are different, so every person requires a special approach and motivation.

The career like yours is impossible without constant training. What was the company’s role in it?

— I love learning. At SLPK I learned a lot about work, operation and repair of the machinery, the ways to develop and train personnel; I also got management and strategic thinking skills. Our company makes a lot for development and training of the personnel, helps to get higher education and to study various fields, which are essential for the job. But the future of the employee is in his or her own hands, and it depends on whether he or she would use the existing opportunities.

What is your source of strength, energy, and inspiration?

— The possibility to implement the ideas, which lead to improvement of working conditions at our mill, and the support of the management. Another source is my hobby, which is building my own house. It also requires much knowledge and efforts, but when I do it, I accumulate energy for the whole workweek.