Blue-collar occupations are not associated with routine and monotonous labor nowadays; instead they imply constant progress, education and fulfillment of new tasks. Vyacheslav Spasov is a peat milling machine operator and a foreman. Vyacheslav told us in his interview about the difficulties he had had to deal with and the successes he had accomplished.

1. Did you want your profession to be related to machines?

I learned to love machines from my father in my childhood years. As a boy, I showed interest in machines and liked to repair and modify them. I was invited to an interview for the excavator operator’s position in 2015, and I gladly accepted the offer. The idea that I would be doing the work I like appealed to me.

2. You operate various types of agricultural machines. Was it difficult to learn?

I think that a real professional should be able to operate various machines. It is not too easy or too hard to learn my profession. My education lasted for several years. I used my technical awareness, patience, and diligence to learn how to operate Valtra, Т40, MTZ and MTF tractors and fork-lifts. I tried to cheer up when something did not work out.

3. What the most important in your work?

The interest, the team, and the love for work. You simply need to love your occupation.

4. Tell us about your team.

It is always important to me to communicate with colleagues, to discuss work issues, and to ask questions. I had good teachers who gave me instructions and, most importantly, explained things. When I became the foreman, I started sharing my expertise and professional skills with new employees. Another factor of interest is the possibility to achieve palpable results together with the collective. It is precious to realize that we pursue the same cause. The company mined the all-time biggest amount of peat over the year thanks to my team.

5.Who is helping you with your work and life?

My family is helping me and giving me strength. My wife, mother and brothers are always by my side and are ready to listen and to have a heart-to-heart talk. Their support is invaluable. My family has grown lately – my son, Savely, was born. ​

Sergey Semyonov started his career as a molder and eventually became the deputy director for production. Sergey told us about the beginning of his work, about what helped him, about his achievements, and about his plans for the future.

1. What are your professional duties?

My principal professional duties include peat extraction, production of peat mixtures for professional and amateur consumers, correct logistics and warehouse management, and continuous improvement of product quality.

2. Sergey, you are in charge of over 100 people. What values, in your opinion, shape up relations in a collective?

Every successful enterprise should have rules to be observed by all employees. Company values not only stabilize relations in a collective but also have a positive effect on interaction with clients, suppliers, and partners. Throughout my career, I have been relying on the principles of decency, mutual understanding, and respect for colleagues. Speaking from experience, the team spirit, the focus on the achievement of common goals, and an amicable and favorable atmosphere in the collective based on mutual respect and support bring amazing results.

3. What is necessary for being successful?

I have no doubt that a successful person needs to be professional, you must not be sloppy or hope that somebody else will correct your mistakes and that your mistakes will be lost amongst the mistakes of your colleagues. Inner motivation and advancement towards one’s goal are inherent characteristics of a leader capable of any remarkable achievements.

4. Sergey, please tell us about your latest professional achievements and plans for the future.

A short time ago, we started using new expensive peat production machines in Ozyornoye. For now, I am stationed at the company’s branch in Smolensk to share my experience of pneumatic peat extraction. We are planning to commission new areas of the Chistoye field and to complete modernization of a peat processing line.