Anna Vavilkina has become the first woman in Northern Iron Ore history to drive a quarry dump truck, following successful completion of her training and internship. Today, she competently maneuvers the massive equipment, achieving production targets alongside her male colleagues.
For Motor Pool No. 1 of Mining and Transport Shop No. 2 of Northern Iron Ore, which operates in the Hannivsky Quarry, having a woman behind the wheel of a mining truck was a real novelty. When Anna Vavilkina came for her internship, the male team split in two. Some anticipated her early departure due to disappointment, whereas others admired her courage and observed her diligent approach to the work.
Learning new and different things
Prior to her work as a haul-truck driver in the quarry, Anna had mastered a variety of professions that appeared to have nothing in common. From a young age, the talented girl had been dedicated to music, aspiring to a professional career and enrolling in the Mykhailo Hlinka Dnipropetrovsk Music College. A hand injury dashed her hopes of becoming a renowned bandura player, but it subsequently led her to medicine, where she spent a significant part of her life.
When the war commenced in 2014, Anna was hired under contract as a communications expert. Given her frequent help to her colleagues in the kitchen, she chose to make good use of her time and also completed training to become a cook.
After being discharged from service, the woman joined the Northern Iron Ore. She worked as a compressor-unit operator at the air-supply facilities maintenance and repair section of the Industrial Water Supply and Slurry Facilities Shop. Without having a specialized education at first, she learned from her supervisors. She walked around the machine hall, drew diagrams, consulted with experienced colleagues, and soon earned their respect. Two years ago, she graduated from the Industrial Vocational College, where she studied industry-specific mechanical engineering and qualified as a mechanic. And when Anna decided to switch to operating a haul truck, her section head, Alla Kurtembaum, confident in her abilities, gave her sincere support.
From the initial idea to its successful completion
Anna's approach was methodical. Despite her considerable experience with passenger cars, she lacked the required license for commercial vehicles. As a result, she attended a driving school to acquire the necessary "Category C" license. With her brand-new license in hand, she went to the Northern Iron Ore training center and stated her intention to operate a haul truck. The employees there initially took it as a joke, but it became clear she was deeply committed.
"What’s so funny? The war isn’t over, the guys are still fighting, and you’ll be the ones chasing after me later. Take my documents, and then we’ll see whether I can do it or not,” I said back then. And some time later, they invited me to the training sessions,” Anna VAVILKINA recalls.
“I happened to be giving the first lesson for a new group in the shelter at the time,” says training center instructor Volodymyr HOLOVCHENKO. “The guys are coming in, I’m used to that, and I’m doing roll call. Then a petite, attractive woman enters and takes a seat at a desk. I asked whether she might have mistaken the room, and she replied: "No, I’m on the list." I checked - and sure enough, she was! I was surprised, because in my entire teaching career I had trained nearly 800 men, and here, for the first time, was a woman. And I was even more astonished when I saw that during my lectures she recorded everything on a voice recorder and filmed everything I displayed on the screen. I hadn’t seen anything like that before or since. Anna Vasylyvna has a very meticulous approach to learning. She asked questions both before and after classes. We’re still in touch, and I’m glad to see her success.”
Although at first the specific technical terms were not easy for her, she mastered them thoroughly and passed the theory exam brilliantly.
Anna and her “beast”
Then came the turn for on-site training in the quarry. To put it into perspective, she had to learn to operate a 136-ton haul truck that was nearly six meters tall and seven meters wide. Just one of its wheels was twice the height of the driver herself.
"I wasn't frightened. The excellent design made me feel at ease, as when you climb into the cab and sit behind the wheel, the technological path and the machine itself feel almost like an ordinary car. My only hurdle was adapting to the vibration for a bit, given my light weight. My male colleagues found it amusing that I struggled to reach the pedals, jokingly suggesting I wear high heels for work. However, now I've mastered it; everything is fine. Anna laughs, adding that she successfully proved her skeptics wrong.
Experienced motor-vehicle driver at the Hannivskyi quarry, Oleksandr ZHYTKO, who trained Anna Vavilkina, is pleased with her results. He commends her cautious driving and continues to offer assistance as needed, even though she has been operating independently for over two months.
"I’ve only heard good things about our first female driver since she finished training, and I no longer have any concerns about her work,” shares Kostyantyn SABININ, head of Technological Motor Pool No. 1 of Mining and Transport Shop-2. She fulfills all her duties in transporting rock mass effectively and thoroughly, on par with her male colleagues. Moreover, regarding vehicle maintenance, if she finds anything physically challenging, her whole shift will back her up and provide help.
Kind-hearted and genuine
Today, Anna Vavilkina’s plans are simple – just to work. And at the moment, she really enjoys it. She says she goes to work gladly, and her interactions with colleagues give her a huge boost of positive energy.
“I remember being very little, and my brothers were given a wonderful toy – a big truck. I immediately started asking to get behind the wheel. I even have a memorable photo of me sitting in that truck. If that’s not destiny, then what is!” Anna laughs.
And the woman also wants everything to be well with her loved ones. With her daughter, whom she barely managed to pull out of occupied Berdyansk in 2022, where the girl had been studying to become a speech therapist. She’s doing fine now. She also hopes for enduring vitality and vigor for her mother, Nadiia Ostrovska, who established the “Pivnichanka” veterans’ choir of the Northern Iron Ore. Many at the plant are aware of her immense dedication to this endeavor, including her personal hand-embroidery of the concert costumes still worn by the performers.
Her furry companions hold a special spot in Anna's heart. She looks after stray animals, a group whose numbers swelled as wartime refugees abandoned their pets. A large share of her income monthly is used to feed and provide veterinary care for them.
And most of all, Anna Vavilkina enjoys answering questions about her work today with the phrase: “I’m a haul-truck driver!” – and seeing the reactions of surprise and admiration in response.
