The WorldSkills Kazakhmys 2026 corporate championship of professional skills was held in Balkhash from October 26 to 28. The competition was supported by ESAB, a global manufacturer of welding and cutting equipment, together with Welding COMPANY, a strategic partner and distributor in the region.
This year, the championship was held for the fifth time, marking its first anniversary. The competition brought together young specialists from Kazakhmys Group enterprises and students from the corporation's Polytechnic College. The participants demonstrated professional skills in six competencies: "Welding technologies", "Electrical work", "Plumbing", "Slinging", "Occupational safety" and "Metallurgy".
Throughout the years of cooperation, ESAB has been providing equipment for the championship and introducing specialists to the latest welding technologies. This year, participants in the Welding Technologies competence performed competitive tasks on Rustler EM 350C PRO Synergic and Rogue ET 201iP PRO devices. The semi-automatic Rustler with automatic parameter matching helped to set up the welding mode faster, and Rogue, designed for argon arc and manual arc welding, allowed precise control of the process, including control of heat input in pulse mode. Working with the equipment gave the contestants the opportunity to show the skills of using various welding methods that are in demand in production.
Competitive tests were conducted at the corporation's production sites. Five competencies were presented on the basis of the assembly and procurement site of the specialized repair and installation department of the Balqash Tau-ken ondiisi branch. Metallurgy competitions were held in the copper electrolysis workshop of the Balkhash Copper Smelting Plant of Kazakhmys Smelting LLP. This format connects professional training with the real tasks of enterprises. Special attention at the championship was paid to the accuracy of work, work culture and compliance with safety requirements.
Organizational support for the championship was provided by the staff service of Kazakhmys Corporation LLP, NAO Talap, the national operator of WorldSkills Kazakhstan, and the Polytechnic College of the corporation.
According to ESAB, the championship expands the list of competencies and increases the level of competition organization. By supporting WorldSkills Kazakhmys, the company shares industry expertise and helps young professionals in Kazakhstan master modern welding technologies and improve their professional skills.
