Large, close-knit families are the real wealth of Metinvest's companies. Six members of the Kostiuchok family, for one, are the workers of Central Iron Ore Enrichment Works, boasting an astonishing 162 years' service in total under their belt, with every year worth its weight in gold.
CAREER AND ROMANCE
The founders of the working family, Mariia and Hryhorii Kostiuchok, started work at Central Iron Ore Enrichment Works at different times. And they had nothing in common except a huge open-pit mine. However, the young people from Central Iron Ore Enrichment Works bonded emotionally, and soon they fell in love and got married.
In 1964, immediately after graduating from college, Hryhorii decided that he would work at Central Iron Ore Enrichment Works. He got a job as a repairman.
His wife Mariia worked in the quarry canteen from 1969 to 1992. To this day, the couple are each other's rock. Mariia always knows what is going on in Hryhorii's life. She is also constantly surrounded by male attention not only because she has an amazing and loving husband, but also two sons and a grandson.
FOLLOWING IN PARENTS' FOOTSTEPS
Sons, Anatolii and Viktor, followed in the family's career footsteps. Anatolii, the eldest son of the founder of the working family, started work at the plant at the age of eighteen. He, of course, followed his father's lead. Initially, there were conversations in the family circle about the shift, about the shop. Then those turned into conversations between a professional and a novice employee. His father always understood him, supported him, could hear him out, and, if necessary, give him advice.
Today Anatolii is a highly skilled professional. He has 38 years of work experience at the plant, 21 of which were spent working as a foreman in the Hleievatskyi open-pit mine.
"Since childhood, I have known a lot about cars. Also, the quarry is almost next to our house, so I heard everything that was happening there, the explosions and the way the huge machinery was working. Then I visualized it, and when I sometimes ran to my dad's work, he showed me all this. I joined Central GOK as a driver of a ZIL-130, a smaller vehicle, then I worked as the head of the maintenance service, and now I am a foreman in the quarry. Then, many years ago, my father helped me choose my profession, gave me advice, and told me about the specifics of work. Now I can confidently say that I was right. I like my job, I am in character here," says Anatoliy KOSTYUCHOK.
Anatoliy's son, Dmytro, continues the tradition of working at Central GOK. He is just beginning to master the intricacies and wisdom of a driver profession of Mining and Transport Shop No. 1, but plans to develop in his preferred speciality. After all, new knowledge has never hurt anyone.
"I'm very proud of my son, he is motivated and diligent. Great respect and honor to my parents. The fate has brought them together here and will continue to do so," assures Anatoly KOSTYUCHOK, the head of the family.
Mining and Transport Shop No. 1 also became a home for Hryhori Semenovych's youngest son - Viktor. The specialist claims that being a driver is in his genes.
"When I graduated from the Automotive College, my parents and older brother helped me decide on my future job," recalls Viktor KOSTYUCHOK. – So, in 1997, after serving in the army, I got a job at the Central GOK. Since childhood, I have been interested in many areas, but the passion for big cars won. For more than 25 years of work, I have never doubted my choice of profession."
The head of the working family Hryhoriy Semenovych KOSTYUCHOK says: "Sometimes I wonder if everything in my life has worked out the way I wanted it to. Then I think about how many friends and acquaintances I have who smile at me when we meet because they know the history of our Central GOK family. And the fact that my children and grandchildren followed the same career path. This means that I have not lived my life in vain. - My wife and I raised decent sons. And that's what matters most!"
