Connecting Ukrainian refugee skilled workers with employers in Manitoba

One Manitoba business is not only hiring skilled workers from Ukraine but is helping them find jobs in other industries across the province. Alex Karpa reports.

By Alex Karpa

A Manitoba business is hoping to reduce the shortage of workers in the province by matching Ukrainian refugees with businesses wanting to hire skilled workers from the war-torn country.

Mark Myrowich, the owner of ECBVerdyol in Riverton, Man., – about 130km north of Winnipeg – was facing serious staffing shortages. But as a second-generation Ukrainian, he started hiring Ukrainian refugees who were looking for jobs.

“I connected with them on social media, and next thing I knew, I had more employees than I needed,” said Myrowich.

“I think the biggest thing I can do is help them get connected to the right jobs.”

But Myrowich soon realized that a number of the workers he was hiring weren’t a great fit for his manufacturing plant. But they were highly skilled in other industries.

So he, along with two other refugees, started two new websites: one for Manitobans looking to hire Ukrainians and the other for Ukrainians looking for jobs in the province.

“If I can get them into their right talents, and they can contribute their talents to the economy, it’s going to help them, it’s going to help the businesses and it’s going to help the economy,” said Myrowich. “So it’s all about matchmaking.”

So far, Myrowich has hired 30 people for his businesses and has well more than 200 Ukrainians applying for jobs through his websites.

Andrii Podyma, one of Myrowich’s employees, arrived in Manitoba three weeks ago.

“I’m really happy. I like it here. I like the community. I like friendly people. Everything around here is good and it fits,” said Podyma, who fled Ukraine and is now working in Riverton.

Podyma knows what it’s like to leave everything behind and start over. He is hoping to share his experience and help other Ukrainians settle in Manitoba.

“It’s a really good opportunity for Ukrainians to come here, to change their lives and be able to get a job, support their family, especially for the ones that can’t leave Ukraine at this moment,” he said.

Myrowich says it’s all about paying it forward and helping those Ukrainians who were forced to flee their country.

“There are many ways to fight a war, and one of the ways that can be done is giving people the ability to make money,” he said. “The highest form of charity is giving them a job. Teach a man to fish, instead of giving them a fish, where with a good job and making the right money, they can support their family at home and the war effort there.”

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