diff --git a/dbt/adapters/athena/column.py b/dbt/adapters/athena/column.py
index fa153858..46448cae 100644
--- a/dbt/adapters/athena/column.py
+++ b/dbt/adapters/athena/column.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import ClassVar, Dict
 
 from dbt.adapters.athena.relation import TableType
 from dbt.adapters.base.column import Column
@@ -9,6 +10,11 @@
 class AthenaColumn(Column):
     table_type: TableType = TableType.TABLE
 
+    TYPE_LABELS: ClassVar[Dict[str, str]] = {
+        "STRING": "VARCHAR",
+        "TEXT": "VARCHAR",
+    }
+
     def is_iceberg(self) -> bool:
         return self.table_type == TableType.ICEBERG
 
diff --git a/dbt/adapters/athena/impl.py b/dbt/adapters/athena/impl.py
index 390ca111..a74326a1 100755
--- a/dbt/adapters/athena/impl.py
+++ b/dbt/adapters/athena/impl.py
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ class AthenaAdapter(SQLAdapter):
     ConnectionManager = AthenaConnectionManager
     Relation = AthenaRelation
     AdapterSpecificConfigs = AthenaConfig
+    Column = AthenaColumn
 
     # There is no such concept as constraints in Athena
     CONSTRAINT_SUPPORT = {