Patience and Hard Work are the Cornerstones of Success

18 January 2016 University life 1169

Aleksey Marichev had built his first house (a four-storey one!) near Voronezh with the help of his parents long before he became an SPbPU student. Even though that house was soon demolished (as were a dozen other houses that stood in the way of a highway that would connect Moscow to Sochi), Alexey didn't lose heart: now every summer holidays he builds a new house together with his own brigade consisting of his relatives, armed with newly acquired expertise! As a student of the Department of Construction of Unique Buildings and Structures 7yof the Institute of Civil Engineering, Alexey proved the profoundness of his knowledge, as well as his perseverance and determination, at an international academic competition. Not only did he finish second, but also awaits a job offer from the sponsors. In an interview with the Media Center, the fourth-year student explained how important it is to always keep fighting and never give up – not only in competitions, but in every aspect of life.

Aleksey Marichev

- Aleksey, how did you find out about the first international construction competition and why did you decide to take part in it?

- At our department, teachers regularly provide us with information on various competitions, contests, and conferences that we can take part in. There are many invitations, but this competition seemed particularly interesting to me. First, it was remote, so I didn't need to go anywhere to participate, and second, the sponsor promised that the winner will get a job offer. The prospect of further cooperation with the company appealed to me, so I decided to enter the competition.

- What was it like?

- It was like an interactive online game. The sponsors let us study the documents, and then we had to answer some questions. There were all kinds of questions, like what is bitumen or what material is better to use in what conditions, and questions on the documents that we had studied. Plus, it was not against the rules to make multiple attempts to achieve a a better result.

- How many attempts did you make?

Many, and I was not the only one. Even the sponsors were surprised that over 20 students succeeded in all tasks and got the highest possible score. Eventually, the winners were selected according to the time of test completion, and the gap between the first place and the second place was mere seconds. I answered 200 questions in 6 minutes 50 seconds, while the student from Karaganda, who finished first, was just five seconds faster.

- How did you find out that you were among the winners?

- We received the final results two days after the competition finished. I was sure I would win as we could monitor the rankings online during the competition, and I was always among the top three. I believe that a second place in a competition, in which almost 3,000 students from Russia and the CIS countries took part, is an outstanding achievement. Now, company managers are thinking about appointing me Learning & Development Professional.

- Tell us about your studies. Did you get any automatic credit for you victory in the competition?

- No, but only because the competition's subject was Materials, and I had an exam on materials in my second year. I only have three exams at the end of this semester, and I have already aced two of them.

- What do you do in your leisure time?

- I study (Smiling.). In my free time I study Autodesk software – this company heavily cooperates with our university. Between you and me, at the moment I am taking part in another competition, from Autodesk. It's interesting and helps me expand my perspective: at the university, I study construction in all of its aspects, and with Autodesk software I can study mechanics and construction of mechanisms. I am sure these skills will come in handy when I begin my master's degree program in Automated Engineering of Buildings and Structures.

- Why did you choose the Polytechnic University?

- I realized at an early age that food and home are two basic human needs. I couldn't quite picture myself in the food industry, so I decided to study construction. The Institute of Civil Engineering of the Polytechnic University drew my attention because it provides all-round education. Here, one can learn to design not only buildings and structures, but also utility networks and systems, test engineering structures and materials, examine building and structures, etc. Such diverse education is practical and it gives you more employment opportunities.

- What would you wish other SPbPU students?

The main thing is to be brave, believe in yourself, and take part in competitions. Most of my fellow students doubted if they should enter the competition or not. They worried that they will make a mistake or run out of time. You should keep trying and go all the way! I didn't achieve success on the first try either, but look at the prospects I have now. I advise everyone to be brave and go straight ahead.

Media Center, SPbPU

Print version