The story of a woman from Zaporizhzhia who found her calling at a large steel plant.
Many students who dream of one day getting a job in their field of study earn money elsewhere during their studies. Three years ago, Nataliia KLIUCHKO, now an employee of Zaporizhstal, got a job at one of Ukraine's largest retail chains, while completing her higher education in industrial speciality.
"Before the occupation of Enerhodar, where I come from, I planned to work at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. I received a specialised education in Zaporizhzhia for this purpose, worked in the largest Ukrainian retail chain at the same time, and with the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I realised that I had to choose a job in my speciality in Zaporizhzhia.
So, I periodically monitored the vacancies, waiting for the right one to come up at the plant. After all, my priority has always been professional development, and my goal was to work in my speciality," says Nataliia.
She shares her experience of working in retail openly, and stresses that she would hardly recommend this job to others.
"Retail is a very difficult job. With the start of the full-scale invasion, the outflow of employees led to longer working hours - but this is a typical situation nowadays. But the worst thing for me was the lack of any prospects in my job, the feeling that you are wasting your best time on mechanical labour," she says.
Nataliia joined Zaporizhstal in February 2024. She says she is happy with her choice.
"Zaporizhstal offers the most favourable conditions for young employees among all industrial enterprises in the city. That's why I chose the plant, and my expectations were met. The team is friendly, and there are experienced colleagues who are happy to share their achievements and experience. All the conditions discussed during the employment process are met. This includes career prospects, a social package, and a convenient work schedule, as well as the opportunity to study and combine study and work," says Nataliia.
Today, Nataliia works as an engineer in the Environmental Protection Department and has great professional ambitions, desire for self-development and inspiration to discover something new.
Today, every fourth employee at the enterprise is under 35 years old, who choose the plant for the opportunity to learn a profession under the guidance of mentors, stability and reliability, many motivational projects, and social guarantees.
