Abderrahmane A. has been in Germany for over a year now and is completing a vocational training in the electrical sector here. The first year of training was a bit difficult at the beginning, especially at the vocational school, but he found his footing. With a little patience and a lot of practice every day, he has gotten used to his new surroundings, the different culture and the new language.

Zitat:

Team: What motivated you to come to Germany?

Abderrahmane: Even as a child, I wanted to emigrate. The decision in favour of a country was not so easy. In Morocco, Germany is a big topic, many people learn German and talk about Germany. 
The motivation then was actually Germany itself. It is the ideal destination, you can improve your life, improve your career, there are many opportunities, e.g. training, further education, studying, working...

Team: You have been training as an electronics technician for energy and building technology for a year now. How did you decide to do a vocational training and why exactly this profession?

Abderrahmane: Electrical engineering is simply my passion and I have already completed a training in this field in Morocco. That makes the content here a bit easier for me. 
Unfortunately, the training from Morocco could not be fully recognised in Germany. In Morocco, the training is exclusively school-based, here in Germany you go to school and are already working in the company. I think that's great, you can use your knowledge from school directly at work.

Team: And how are you enjoying your training so far?

Abderrahmane: I really like it very much. There's a very informal atmosphere in the company. Everyone is on a first-name basis and is always very friendly. If I don't understand something or need help, there's always someone there to help me. It's really great.

Team: Did your employer also support you on your way to Germany?

Abderrahmane: Yes, absolutely. He really, really helped me a lot! Even before I came to Germany, he supported me and helped me find a flat. When I arrived here, he also got me a bike so that I could get to work and to school. He is always available when I have problems and he always helps me.  

Team: You were also inb touch with us before you came to Germany. How did you find out about the ZAV and how did ZAV support your journey?

Abderrahmane: I found the ZAV during my research on the internet and then got appointed a personal advisor with whom I have been in touch regularly. She really helped me a lot on my way to Germany. She improved my application documents and helped me with the documents. I could ask questions at any time and she was also in contact with the employers. It was a great support and I am very grateful for it.

Team: That sounds great! However, did you also experience challenges on your way to Germany and how were you able to overcome them?

Abderrahmane: Before I came to Germany, the biggest challenge was learning the language.
It was also not easy for me to make the decision to start over in Germany. I did my A-levels in Morocco, completed a vocational training and also studied at university for a few semesters. Starting a new vocational training now was not an easy decision.

However, once the decision was made, the job search was also quite difficult for me. Preparing the documents, writing applications and learning German up to B1 level – all at the same time.  Everything has to be well organised and it takes time.

You have to be patient and put in a lot of effort. Sometimes you might want to give up, but you have to keep going to realise your dream.

Team: Would that also be advice you would give to other people who want to come to Germany?

Abderrahmane: Yes, definitely. The key is definitely the language. In Morocco, we speak Arabic, French and English, but not German. It's something completely different, you have to learn something completely new. That's very important. Not only attending the course, but also continuing to practise at home.

Team: And what would you say is your favourite thing about Germany so far?

Abderrahmane: I particularly like the fact that you have so many options. You can do further training after your apprenticeship or simply work. There are many options. I also like the fact that there are so many people from different cultures here. You experience many different cultures together.

I also really like the nature here, it's all green. Morocco is also a beautiful country, but it's not as green there. Here it's just always green. There are many beautiful places in Germany, you can get everywhere easily by public transport and I've already been able to explore a bit. I have a lot of friends from Morocco who also live in Germany. So, I get around the country a bit.

Team: Thank you very much for the interview and all the best for your future in Germany!