Ray of hope: Ukrainian refugee hired by London solar company

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Dennis German recalls it as one of the easiest, and fastest, job interviews he’s ever held.

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Ray of hope: Ukrainian refugee hired by London solar company Back to video

Misha Hermanenko walked into German Solar Corp., a solar panel manufacturer and installer on Robins Hill Road in London, about two months ago and asked for work, explaining he had fled the war in Ukraine and needed a job.

“We had been actively looking for guys who can install and want to work and this guy walks in off the street, said he was from Ukraine and I said, ‘You’re hired,’ ” German said.

“He then gave me his resume after the fact and he had real experience.”

German, who owns the business, said his wife is of Ukrainian descent so the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the displacement of Ukrainians is an issue close to home.

The family that hosts Hermanenko, his wife and 12-year-old daughter in London suggested he visit German Solar to look for work.

“It has worked out very well. He’s working well with the team,” German said.

Hermanenko fled Ukraine with his family, going to Poland where he was supported by a church group that helped him get to Canada. He connected with a host family here through social media.

“We lost everything we had, a good job, our house. If I stayed in Ukraine I have bombs. I read about Canada and Australia and my wife wanted London. It’s a city with good parks, she likes parks,” Hermanenko said.

“It’s good. We’re stable now.”

Now that he’s working, they’re looking for an apartment so they can move out of the host family home, he said.

At German Solar, sales are climbing again, up about 30 per cent over last year and it needs to add to its staff of about 15, German said.

“Solar energy has come down in price while other energy costs are up. It’s economically beneficial to have solar and it helps with carbon emissions,” he said. “We’re busy and we’re looking for more people to join our team.”

In fact he may be adding another Ukrainian worker soon.

“We know of another family coming over and we will be taking a look at him. It’s not done yet,” German said.

More than 400 Ukrainians have arrived in London since the Russian invasion in February and more than half are now working with employers who are knocking on the London Ukrainian Centre’s door wanting workers, its vice-president Tatiana Dawidenko said.

“Businesses are calling, asking for people, saying they can take them,” she said. “It’s awesome, so many in the Canadian community help us. They make them feel welcome.”

She does not know Hermanenko and his family but stressed the centre and the Cross Cultural Learner Centre can help new arrivals with settling here and even taking English language lessons, online if necessary.

“We have a big community here,” she said.

ndebono@postmedia.com