Abrahem's story.
Imagine immigrating to a completely foreign country over 3,000 kilometers away – one where you are unfamiliar with the people, the language and, of course, the labor market. To make such a move; to completely immerse yourself into different culture is a decision not easily made. And yet, it is not uncommon.Take Abrahem Ahmad from the Kurdish region of Syria.
“Like many others, I came here through Germany,” he tells us. “My wife had been living in Belgium for quite some time.” Getting a job was not easy. It took some time for the 33-year-old Syrian to find work. Three years ago, after struggling to get work, he got in touch with Randstad and finally found his footing.
his story.
Abrahem’s move from Syria to Belgium was not motivated by socio-economic reasons. His journey was driven by love. “I had a good job in Duhok”, says the 33-year-old, looking back on his time working in northern Iraq. “Ultimately, I moved to Antwerp for my wife, who’d been living there for quite some time.” The two settled in the Belgian city, where they are still living today.
Like many immigrants, Abrahem was struggling financially. Finding employment is often difficult for those with a different background. And when they do find jobs, working conditions are often suboptimal. Many immigrants face discrimination, are more likely to work hazardous jobs or face other suboptimal working conditions. Not to mention that many also lack the language skills for success in their adopted country. As a result, immigrants often face economic hardships – ones that are not resolved easily. The same was true for Abrahem.
work for integration.
“I informed Randstad about my financial struggles and told them I’d love to start working as soon as possible,” he recalls. Originally a computer engineer, Abrahem hoped to work in a similar field. Eventually, he was referred to RiseSmart Employability, a part of the Randstad Belgium business that focuses on helping vulnerable groups such as migrants and refugees. There he met Egle Rimsaite. She enrolled Abrahem in the Work for Integration program aimed at helping newcomers find a job. The program was initially created with Randstad partners in Italy and Sweden.
Work for Integration is backed by a variety of institutions and organizations such as the City of Antwerp and the Public Center for Social Welfare. Through the program, the partners help refugees in Antwerp find work. For younger job seekers, there are specialized programs that provide language training, on-the-job education and labor market orientation.
It was also through this program that Abrahem eventually found work. “I visited Randstad, and they called me back the very same day saying they had found not one but two jobs for me; I could choose,” he says.
According to Egle, Abrahem made quite the impression: “When he came in, he had to start from scratch, and I was immediately impressed by his motivation and drive,” she recalls.
Abrahem landed a job at Tech Data Belgium, a company which provides end-point solutions. “They found a job for me in data management so, I was very thankful,” he says - finally back where he belonged.
learning the language.
Upon arriving in Belgium, learning the language was without doubt his biggest hurdle. “I really wanted to learn Dutch but had very little time, and school wasn’t really an option,” Abrahem says. “I understand a lot of what other people are saying, but talking is quite difficult.”
Fortunately, Tech Data was more than willing to accommodate him. Bruno Wouters, the inbound shift manager at the company, took Abrahem under his wing. “Five or six years ago we’d only hire people that spoke Dutch flawlessly”, says Bruno. “Now, we welcome anyone with a basic understanding of the language. Even those who aren’t fluent will do just fine.”
our ultimate goal.
RiseSmart and initiatives like Work for Integration are part of a bigger effort to improve work lives around the world . In 2017, Randstad set a goal to touch the work lives of 500 million people worldwide by 2030. An ambitious one, to be sure, but also one embedded in our DNA. Since the 1970s, our founder Frits Goldschmeding established a mission to deliver a tangible contribution to society. Over the years, we have adapted our goals to changing times. And through the process, we are underpinning our commitment to helping workers find employment and contribute to society’s overall economic growth.
We defined our ultimate goal by focusing on four primary drivers: contributing to economic growth, shaping the world of work, connecting with people and fostering inclusive employment. These drivers help us foster initiatives like RiseSmart and Work for Integration. To safeguard human rights, and help employ people like Abrahem, inclusion is of the utmost importance. Only then can we provide those facing barriers to the labor market with meaningful work.
Then, by staying present at all stages of a person’s career and providing training opportunities, Randstad makes sure people like Abrahem stay employable. In the long run, this will not only benefit them but our clients and ourselves too.
These programs we have helped to create certainly benefited Abrahem and Tech Data. Not only does he have a great job, it’s one that matches his skills well.
“I’m over the moon about my work”, Abrahem adds. “I’m doing my job and learning a language.” Wouters shares his enthusiasm: “I want to work with motivated people. Whatever their background or proficiency, it doesn’t matter. As long as they show they are willing to put in the hours.” As for Abrahem, it is safe to say he found a spot that gives him a sense of purpose; one where he can connect with people. “All my colleagues are friendly and welcoming. They smile a lot.”