Zaporizhstal is a place for development, training, and career growth.
Over the years, the enterprise has become the first and only place of employment for thousands of steelworkers. The children and grandchildren of many of them followed the older generation and continued the labour dynasties that Zaporizhstal is proud of. Experts also choose Zaporizhstal, even if they are experienced in a different speciality. After all, mentoring and support for "newcomers" is another tradition of a large team. Everyone here remembers the time when they first came to an unfamiliar enterprise and got used to the new place, and today they introduce "new recruits" to the profession as an experienced mentor.
This is what happened to Andrii KYLYMYCHENKO. The man has been mastering a new speciality as a rolling mill operator in the hot rolling shop since last September. And will work under the guidance of a mentor until he is confident to do the work on his own.
– I am 42 years old and have been working as a cutting-to-length operator since 2000. However, I wanted to get here for a long time, to the finishing group of stands in the hot rolling shop. And now I'm learning the profession I wanted to master," says Andrii.
Andrii's mentor is Artem YEREMENKO, a hot rolling mill operator who is an expert in his job. Artem started his career at the plant 17 years ago in the cold rolling shop. Later, he changed from a cold shop to a hot one and mastered the profession of a senior operator of the HRS finishing group. He has been working here for eight years now, while also performing the duties of a shift foreman. He shares his experience with other colleagues, including Andrii.
– For us, as operators, the most important thing is to monitor the steel width and the rolled products temperature. That is, we have to maintain the set parameters when rolling hot plates," Artem shares the mysteries of the craft and emphasises an important aspect. – Zaporizhstal always provides opportunities for professional growth and training. It is a difficult time, with a shortage of staff, particularly at the main units. Andrii is very talented; he picks everything up very quickly. This profession is very challenging, but Andrii exceeds my expectations.
At Artem and Andrii's workplace, there are dozens of indicators and parameters that need to be constantly monitored and adjusted during the work shift, as they affect the steel quality and the stable operation of the entire shop.
"Every day, Artem teaches me a new profession and directs my efforts at the right target. As a result, the learning process is full of the most useful, applied knowledge based on experience. I am very grateful to my colleagues and mentor for their comprehensive support, and to the enterprise for the opportunity to develop and learn new things," added Andrey.
We also told how a young metallurgist chose his profession following his father's example. Mykyta Kalyuzhny is 22 years old and a graduate of a metallurgical college. He managed to work at Zaporizhstal's pulverised coal department, and later decided to master the profession of blast furnace operator. An experienced mentor helped him with this.
