The Mandryka brothers joined Zaporizhstal through the 'Bring a Friend' programme and now work together.
Zaporizhstal operates the 'Bring a Friend' programme, which offers the initiator additional income, provides the enterprise with new specialists, and gives the newly employed a stable job. Since the programme was launched, 796 Zaporizhstal employees have invited acquaintances to the plant and received cash rewards totalling around UAH 8.4 mln.
Among those who took advantage of the opportunity were brothers Ivan and Oleksandr Mandryka. They work together as steel worker's assistants in Zaporizhstal’s steel casting shop. The elder of the two, Ivan, joined the plant seven years ago.
"I graduated from vocational school, did my internship at the enterprise, and after finishing the vocational school, I got a job at Zaporizhstal," he says.
Ivan first worked in the steel casting shop, then tried his hand at another metallurgical plant, but returned to Zaporizhstal for better conditions and higher pay. He later invited his younger brother Oleksandr to join the plant through the 'Bring a Friend' programme.
"Before that, I worked in agriculture as a tractor operator. Later, that work ceased, and I got employed at Zaporizhstal as a steel worker's assistant," Oleksandr recalls.
Ivan helped his brother settle in at the new workplace:
"The job is good, promising, and the pay is decent. I have more experience than my brother, so I trained him. He eventually began working independently. So now we work together," Ivan says.
The brothers consider responsibility and attentiveness to be the most important qualities in their profession. And above all – mutual support.
“My brother and I work the same shift – he’s helping me learn the profession, sharing his experience. If it weren’t for him, I’d be learning much more slowly – I’d have to figure out a lot through trial and error. But with him by my side – more experienced, always ready to help and guide me – things are different,” says Oleksandr.
Now he’s encouraging his friends to give metallurgy a try themselves:
“The pay suits me just fine. I like the conditions here – everything’s fine, I’m working. Of course, there are challenges and nuances here – but what job doesn’t have them? We’re not kids, after all – we can figure things out."
It’s worth noting that recruitment is still ongoing at Zaporizhstal and other Metinvest enterprises in Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih and Kamianske.
Metinvest guarantees official employment and stable pay, offering opportunities for professional growth. New employees from other cities are offered dormitory accommodation, corporate transport, paid training, and the option to apply for exemption from active military service.
