In 2012 there was some growth of the average number of personnel, which is mainly associated with filling the vacancies.

Overall, there is quite a high level of staffing level in the Company — about 97%. The main reasons for the difficulty of filling the vacancies are remoteness of border plots with low density of population and competition on the regional labor market of energy sector companies with entities of the mining and metallurgical and defense complexes. The active staff turnover level in the Company remains stable and does not exceed 5%.

In order to provide personnel to fill vacancies of relevant professions/positions the Company carries out monitoring of the quantitative and qualitative personnel structure and analysis and prognosis of staff turnover by categories of key and deficit professions and positions.

Over the last three years the personnel structure by categories has remained sufficiently balanced for providing optimal solutions of the Company's tasks.

The age structure of IDGC of the North-West employees is characterized by a high number of employees at the most productive age for professional activity. The share of employees from 25 till 45 years of age is over 50% of the total number of employees.

The ratio of employees by age categories in the Company has been stable for the last three years, which provides necessary professional qualification of staff and continuity, and allows organizing the effective program for mentoring and training on the job.

Within the framework of implementation of the Program for Retention and Development of Human Resources of JSC IDGC of the North-West approved by the Board of Directors the Company constantly monitors the age personnel structure because determination of the right balance between the policy of release of employees reached the retirement age, retention of highly qualified professionals and hiring young specialists is an important component of human resources replenishment in the Company.

In order to attract and retain young specialists to energy sector entities the Company implements a range of special-purpose measures in accordance with the approved Program "Organization of Social Policy Development in JSC IDGC of the North-West", including:

• holding by specialists and managers of the Company of professionally oriented meetings with graduates of secondary schools and students of vocational education institutions. Provision of information on the history and perspectives of development of the energy sector, demand or electric energy specialists and opportunities of qualification upgrade and professional growth;
• posting in the regional mass media publications on the perspectives of electric energy sector, the Company's vacancies, social guarantees and benefits provided by the company to its employees;
• holding of Open Days for students in the Company's branches;
• conclusion of long-term gratuitous agreements with professional education institutions on orientation and professional internship of students in the Company's branches;
• conduct of contests of creative and scientific works on energy subjects;
• development of the mentorship system, attaching young specialists to experienced employees and formation of the system of succession of professional knowledge and skills;
• providing young specialists with an opportunity to upgrade their qualification and to grow professionally. Inclusion of young specialists in the reserve for substitution of managerial positions; conduct of information meetings of the Company's managers and young specialists.
• support of development of associations of young people (Board of Young Specialists).

In 2012 over 100 events aimed at attraction and retention of young highly-qualified workers and specialists to companies of the electric grid complex were held, in which over 3,000 people took part.

Over the last three years there has been a tendency towards the increase in the share of employees with higher and secondary vocational education. Improvement of qualitative characteristics of the in this area is connected with the increased productivity of qualified personnel search and recruitment for the available vacancies and organization of workers receiving professional training on the job.