Integration is and remains a challenge. But there are also success stories – for example, how the maritime industry and logistics in Bremen and Lower Saxony open up new paths for refugees and integrate them into the labour market.
That is well over the city average of 2.1 per cent and means that one fifth of all refugees employed in Wilhelmshaven work in this field. Warehousing is responsible for the largest share, employing 92 people with a refugee background (7.4 per cent). There are six people with refugee status employed in the field of road freight transport (2.3 per cent) and another six in crane and lifting equipment operation (1.5 per cent), which is also due to the Employment Agency.
“In addition to consulting, we also offer lots of opportunities for qualification, language support and training,” explains Katharina Schmauder, spokesperson for the Oldenburg-Wilhelmshaven Employment Agency. “And we help companies with employee qualification, recruitment and funding – for example, in the form of an integration subsidy.”
A few examples highlight just how important it is for companies to train, hire and support refugees. For around three years, Kuehne+Nagel in Bremen has employed Olga Syvak, who hails from Odessa, Ukraine, as Sea Logistics Operational Care Specialist, Documentation. After acquiring her master’s degree in logistics and transport management at Odessa National Maritime University, she worked in land transport until the start of the war.
English as a work language simplifies entry
She found her way to Kuehne+Nagel half a year after her arrival in Germany through one of her husband’s private contacts, who suggested that she apply there. “I was lucky because I was able to start out in English,” she says in fluent German, which has been her work language for the past year. Her area of responsibilities has also grown. “I’m now more involved in operations, confirm orders and see to customs declarations,” says Syvak, who would like to stay in Germany. She says that the experienced team and the support were particularly helpful for her integration into the company. She recommends that newcomers first learn to speak German.
Her colleague Marharyta Redvanska, who also comes from Odessa and holds the same position in a parallel department in Bremen, was herself already very well acquainted with the logistics industry, having acquired two master’s degrees at Odessa National Maritime University – one in logistics and another in transport management. At the end of March 2022, she fled Ukraine with her husband and their daughter, who at that time was just under a year old, and headed for Lower Saxony, home to her husband’s parents. She found a LinkedIn profile to help her with applications – Kuehne+Nagel was the first of multiple large-scale logistics companies to respond.
Redvanska, too, is now more involved in operations and speaks German so well that she uses it more and more often alongside English in her work. “No one should be afraid of speaking German,” she says. It can also be helpful to step outside of your comfort zone and engage with people beyond the refugee community from your home country, she says. And “you should never compare your old life with your new one. In Ukraine we say, ‘God blesses those who do not fear new challenges’”.
Tips and support for integration
Unlike the two Ukrainians, Shuayb Haydari from Afghanistan, who in August started a training course in metalworking for construction at J. MÜLLER, and Gvantsa Lukhava from Georgia, who is in the second year of her training course in computer science with a focus on software development, are both still at the beginning of their careers.
“My job coach is the one who told me about J. MÜLLER and recommended the company. And researching the training course myself is what piqued my interest,” says Haydari. Lukhava learned about the training course at J. MÜLLER from her German teacher, who also helped her with her application. “I’ve always been interested in computer science and am fascinated by the combination of IT and logistics, which is why I made the decision to begin my training here.”
But they are both fully aware of just how difficult it is to integrate. “The language was initially a huge challenge, especially the technical terms in the application process,” says Lukhava. But she soon realised that patience and the support of others would help her overcome these obstacles. “The most difficult part for me was the cover letters because, in my home country, you almost never need an application for vocational trades. You just have to prove your abilities,” says Haydari.
When asked what has helped them settle in at the company, they both emphasise the importance of their colleagues. “My team is a great help to me, as they teach me a lot and answer my questions,” says Haydari. “Community and integration are important.” Lukhava emphasises “my colleagues’ openness”, which has made her feel welcome from the very start.
The two of them have set ambitious goals for their future careers. After his training, Haydari plans to continue working at J. MÜLLER and then qualify as a master craftsman. After her apprenticeship, Lukhava plans to study computer science. (cb)
