Ukrainian refugee turns childhood boat-building passion into career

A Ukrainian refugee is turning his hobby into a full-time career, and that hobby is boat-building. His childhood pastime became a key part of his fresh start in Canada.

Artem Vartanian and his family fled Ukraine last May. When Vartainian came to the Okanagan, he hoped to continue working on what he admires.

“I love all about sailing boats and marine style,” said Vartanian.

Vartanian has a marine education working as a navigator and part-time boat builder. When he was younger, he took up a pastime he still practices today.

“My father liked the scale models and he teach me and we together have good hobbies,” he said.

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While he was looking for a new career in Kelowna, he came across a job opening at a local boat store similar to what he did before.

“Initially I thought he was just fascinated with what we were doing, but it became reasonably clear after I talked to him somewhat that he did have a background in boat building,” said Andrew Middleton, Absolute Classics Marine co-owner.

Middleton says when Vartanian mentioned his background in scale-model boats, he knew he could be great for the job.

“I quickly realized that this is someone who has good hand-eye coordination and great attention to detail which is something that we need in this business,” Middleton said.

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Vartanian has turned his passion into a career, working on full-size boats each day.

“It’s maybe my dream because, for my hobbies, I haven’t a lot of free time,” said Vartanian.

He has been learning the tricks of the trade, working on numerous vessels and it’s evident to Vartainian’s coworkers just how much he cares.

“He’s a perfectionist like I am and the rest of us here. He loves his job, he tells me that and every time I try to kick him out of the shop he just wants to stay,” said shop manager Christine MacPheat.

Vartanian says his coworkers have become his second family and his new career doesn’t feel like a job.

“This work for me is good pleasure. Scale models are harder because it’s very little, little details, it’s different,” he said.

Vartainian hopes to pass on his family boat-building hobby to his three children.