Opening of the Robotics Laboratory: “Grain Capital” and ONTU are training engineers

ONTU students will work with SCADA and real equipment, preparing for the challenges of modern manufacturing

A landmark event took place at the Mechanical and Technological Professional College of Odessa National Technological University (ONTU): the grand opening of the Comprehensive Training and Production Laboratory for Integrated Technologies, Robotics, and Mechanical Engineering, which was created and equipped with funding from the Grain Capital group of companies.

The laboratory will train specialists in the following fields: 

• 133 — Industrial Engineering (Operation and Repair of Food Production Equipment).
• 151 — Automation and Computer-Integrated Technologies (Installation and Maintenance of Technological Production Automation Equipment and Systems).

This strategic joint project between the Grain Capital Group of Companies and ONTU is a response to the acute shortage of qualified personnel and creates a space where students are already being trained according to the standards of modern advanced enterprises in Ukraine and Europe. The laboratory will train a new generation of engineers, mechanics, and technicians capable of working with the most modern automation systems.

Strengthening the foundation: Partnership as an investment in the future

The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the grain port infrastructure of Odessa, Chernomorsk, and Yuzhny, as well as representatives of science and mechanical engineering, who emphasized the strategic importance of such cooperation in wartime.

The rector of ONTU, Professor L.V. Ivanchenko, thanked Grain Capital and its management, especially Liliana Gaponiuk, for their ongoing support and strategic understanding of the development of modern education. “Such partnerships between education and business form a solid foundation for our common future—a high-tech, successful, and competitive Ukraine.”

College Director Olena Kichuk emphasized that the laboratory symbolizes the strong connection between education and manufacturing. Students now have the opportunity to take practical classes in modern manufacturing environments, master new software, and learn the basics of design, which will allow them to seamlessly integrate into manufacturing processes of any complexity.

Bogdan Egorov, President of ONTU: “Every company that comes to us now has a pressing issue—a shortage of specialized professionals. I believe that this laboratory can become the basis for creating a retraining center for workers and will improve the quality of student education.”

Business requirements: Versatility and digital control

The creation of the laboratory was a direct response to employer demands. Modern business requires specialists to not only have narrow specialization, but also versatility and an understanding of business processes: reliability, continuity of work, and management of operating costs based on specific data.

That is why in the laboratory, students:

• Work with real equipment: Learn in practice how to assemble and maintain transport and technological line equipment (at grain elevators in Ukraine and Europe), as well as familiarize themselves with service regulations.
• Master digital tools: gain access to a demo version of the SCADA grain storage control system. This is not just a demonstration, but practical material for training in technical decision-making.

From Mechanic to Manager: The Practical Benefits of SCADA

• Quick start: The system is intuitive, allowing graduates to quickly reach full productivity on the transport and technology lines of enterprises.
• Energy efficiency, reliability, safety: Students learn about the relationship between the technological route and costs, as the system offers the least energy-intensive and most reliable grain transportation scenarios.
• Working with data: Training in system integration and data analysis (production, accident and downtime history). 

The Grain Capital Group of Companies views this project as an investment in a common cause, as the quality of graduate training accelerates their adaptation to the real requirements of grain storage and processing enterprises.

This laboratory is a short path for students from theory to practice, which will provide the industry with specialists ready for the challenges of the digital economy.

The condition of the auditorium prior to reconstruction.