OREANDA-NEWS. September 07, 2011. OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter – MMC Norilsk Nickel, the Company or the Group) announces the introduction of new corporate grants for both students of target preparation groups and interns at the Group companies within corporate Professional Start program, reported the press-centre of Norilsk Nickel.

The project aims at increasing the interest of youth to graduate with specialties demanded by the Company and at motivating the achievement of best possible education results with subsequent joining the ranks of MMC Norilsk Nickel employees.

The scholarship program is available to students of Russian universities, which signed cooperation agreements with the Company.

The candidates for the scholarship program shall be nominated by the special Coordination Councils.

The number and the amount of the grants are approved by the General Director of the Company. The payouts shall be made in addition to any other grants or stipends already received by students. One of the main criterions, which shall be taken into account for the purposes of rewarding the grant, is the student’s desire to work at the Group companies after graduation.

The Company cooperates with over 30 education institutes, including Norilsk Industrial Institute, Siberian Federal University, Irkutsk State Technical University, and G. V. Plekhanov Saint Petersburg State Mining Institute and Technical University. Professional Start program was initiated in 2004 (http://hr.nornik.ru/student