EkoNiva Group’s enterprises in Voronezh, Ryazan and Novosibirsk oblasts have started another advanced training course for young employees under the ZooVet educational programme. Sessions will also be launched in Orenburg and Kaluga oblasts next week. Over four months, 58 future herd managers and veterinarians will take an intensive crash course in their speciality, and then will be assigned to the Group's operations.

The ZooVet project was launched in 2016 and includes a set of theoretical and practical trainings in cutting-edge livestock farming technologies used at EkoNiva's enterprises. The initiative is aimed to build a talent pool, provide young professionals with systematic knowledge, familiarise them with the operation of all farm units and, if necessary, help them decide on their specialisation.

The programme participants are given lectures on nutrition, forage preparation, milking and veterinary medicine. They also study reproduction, young stock rearing, economics and learn to work in a team. The skills acquired in class are then honed in production areas on the Group's farms. This year, the programme has been updated, the major change being the addition of a one-month internship. The training is organised by experienced instructors, including EkoNiva's leading specialists.

In 2024, the project involves not only young employees of the holding, but also graduates of agricultural educational institutions. During the training period, all participants become the company’s full-time staff members. Since the launch of ZooVet, more than 475 aspiring specialists have already completed the programme.