The history of the project « “National championship of professions and entrepreneurial ideas” begins in 2011, when the project authors in search of better technologies and tools for mastering by the youth of the world standards of the working life and labor qualifications came to Finnish Championship “Taitaja”. Following the visit to “Taitaja” and meetings with Finnish colleagues it was decided to launch a pilot project “Championship of professions in Russia”.

In 2011, the project was first presented to the directors of colleges of consumer cooperatives, and then a detailed study of the concept began, as well as preparation of teaching materials, establishing a system of requirements and assessment of competences.

In 2012, the team of the championship organizers, formed of representatives from different regions of Russia, newly arrived at “Taitaja 2012” to see “with their own eyes” the competition from the “inside”. The trip was productive, and in the same year in 7 regions of the country the first stages of the championship with the participation of 750 college students took place. The first experience was a success, and the organizers of the competition faced with a problem: to scale the project in the region, for which administrative and expert support was required.

To that effect, the project leader Gil Sergey turned to the Agency for Strategic Initiatives. The project was approved by the Supervisory Board of the Agency one month before the final of the first Russian championship, which was held in Gelendzhik in June 2012. During 3 days 57 young people from the regions were developing entrepreneurial projects and initiatives in their professions, solving case studies and problems from the organizers and partner companies. The culmination of the final was a “Service Land” - an event organized for residents and vacationer guests of the Black Sea coast. Dozens of services provided by the members of the championship, caused a sensation among the population and received an independent expertise of more than 500 customers and consumers.

In 2012, 8 more regions joined the championship. On their territories the project operators began organizing regional stages; the partners of the championship were more than 200 employing companies. An important role in communication and building partnership dialogue with the regional authorities was played by the support of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives. Also special courses for training tutors and mentors from the leaders and teachers of colleges were organized at places.

In 2013, the championship went to a qualitatively new level: its members hold master classes on regional TV. Having received at the championship the skills of package of professional competencies into a business product, they organize in their colleges paid courses and master classes for all comers. During the year, 1270 students and young entrepreneurs became members of the regional stages of the championship, over 25 000 pupils and their parents were involved in learning the professions, more than 250 events were held - from flash-mobs of professions to career test ranges.

The second Russian final of the championship, which was held in the Vladimir region in May, was attended by 32 teams.  

Support for the project by the Supervisory Board of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives certainly motivates and expands the boundaries of work in the regions. At the moment, together with the regional operators of the championship and its partners the Association of Entrepreneurial and Cooperative Education is created, under which the regional, national and international educational initiatives, projects and programs “Career in Russia” will be implemented. In 2014, the championship will be attended not only by the college students, but also by high school students, students of secondary specialized colleges and higher educational establishments, young entrepreneurs.

Thus, the championship grew from a big competitive game by occupation into a national project of entrepreneurial staff training for each region for all Russia.