My Wild Ride with the Employment Support Project

I'll be the first to admit, I was pretty stoked when I heard about the Employment Support Project. I'd been out of the workforce for a bit, and I was eager to get back in. So, I submitted an application – or at least, I tried to. The thing is, it wasn't exactly clear what I was getting myself into.

See, back in 2024, it was called the 'Demography' program. I'm not even kidding, that's what it was called. Anyway, I submitted my app, and a few days later, I got a call from the employment center. The rep told me I needed to sign a three-party agreement – between the educational institution, me, and the planned employer. But when I asked her about the employer, since I was already working and on maternity leave, she didn't give me a clear answer. So, I bailed on the whole thing. I figured I'd just wait until next year.

Fast forward to 2025, when the program got an update in March. By that time, I'd already quit my job and was unemployed. I got an email invite to study, and I was interested in becoming a Neural Network Specialist. The training was through Tomsk State University and lasted for 2 months – it was actually really cool.

I filled out a new application, uploaded my documents (passport, diploma), and a few days later, I got another call from the employment center. The rep told me I needed to come in to confirm my application. I asked if the three-party agreement was still a thing, and she said yes, but that we'd figure out the employer issue when I got there. So, I picked a date and went.

The employee's phrase when I got there was pretty funny: 'So, have you already identified the employer?' I mean, it's not like there's a queue of employers waiting for me or anything.

I'm a total newbie when it comes to this kind of training, and I'm still not entirely sure how it works. How am I supposed to find this mythical employer who's gonna sign a contract with me? I was hoping maybe the state would be encouraging them or something, because otherwise, it's hard to believe anyone would be willing to invest time and resources in an unknown candidate.

As it turned out, there wasn't any interest from that direction.

So, if I had to break down the registration process, here's what it looks like.

First things first: you gotta prepare

There's a bit of a process to get through before you can even start applying. After you submit your application, you're waiting for the next step:

This part's pretty straightforward – it's done quickly.

But then things get a little hairy

And then there's the part where you're supposed to be relieved:

What actually happened to me

After submitting my application, I got a bunch of email reminders to upload my documents to the Flow system – that's the personal account for the university's training. I got everything uploaded correctly, and then I had to start looking for an employer.

How to find a potential employer

I've been trying to wrap my head around how the Work in Russia system works, and let me tell you, it's been a wild ride. Apparently, you're supposed to search for companies on the website by typing in your future profession, and then contact them directly to offer your services. The employment center doesn't offer any assistance or recommendations, so you're pretty much on your own.

My experience at the employment center in late April was a real eye-opener. I was told that training started on May 22, but when I asked for a specific deadline, the employee just shrugged it off. Fast forward to the May holidays, and I get an email out of the blue saying I have three days to sign the agreement or the program will be canceled. Talk about a tight squeeze!

I called the employee back to get some clarification, and she told me that if I didn't make it into this batch, I'd have to submit a new application. No big deal, right? Except I hadn't heard about that before. She kept asking me when my training started, like it was the most important thing in the world. It's a total mess, and it's clear that people aren't prepared for the call.

I took matters into my own hands and started searching for neural network vacancies on Work in Russia. I found a few listings for Sber in different cities and an individual entrepreneur from Bashkortostan. Unfortunately, there were no vacancies in my region, but I figured the work could be remote, so I applied. I even wrote a cover letter explaining my situation.

Sber shot me down with a quick rejection, while the individual entrepreneur didn't even bother to respond. Oh well, I guess that's just the way it goes sometimes.

One thing that really gets my goat is the system's lack of convenience. There's no button to send the three-party agreement to the potential employer, and I have to enter my diploma number and work experience over and over again. It would be a huge help if they had a 'copy data from previously entered' button on the Work in Russia website.

I'm also getting a bit frustrated with the email notifications. I get the same message multiple times, even though I've already uploaded the documents. This one message came to me five times, and it's just a real pain.

My beefs with the system

First of all, let this be a warning to anyone planning to study: think about how you're gonna connect with an employer before you waste your time and travel to the employment center. I was misinformed, and the center is a long way from me, so I ended up spending a ton of time on the trip.

Secondly, I'm calling out the creators: what's the point of all this? Where's the logic? I want to study, but there's no employer! Why not train a person, sign a two-party agreement with them, and then find them a job? Or better yet, recruit people with a prior agreement with the employer at their level. That way, they'd be more helpful than just sending a candidate into the void. It's a recipe for disaster, and that phrase from the newsletter about not exerting pressure on the employer just rubs me the wrong way.

So, organizers, make your conclusions: this program is not for the masses.