Özlem Gündüz made the switch from civil engineering to work preparation in the Netherlands. We recently received an enthusiastic message from her in our general mailbox: “Hi, I just read one of your articles on the website. I thought maybe I could do something too. My Dutch is not perfect yet, but I have achieved something and would like to inspire others with my journey.”

And so I met up with Özlem, who lives in Amsterdam with her 1-year-old son and works as a work planner at Kernbouw BV. In her home country, she worked as a structural engineer. Her passion for civil engineering arose early on. “I always wanted to be an engineer,” she says. “In Turkey, I was very involved with geomechanics, metrics, physics: everything related to civil engineering. Where that passion comes from? I don’t know, but I’ve always had the drive to show that women can work in the construction sector just as well as men.”

 Start small
After arriving in the Netherlands, Özlem wanted to get started right away. "I wanted to work quickly, but I knew I had to start small. My plan was to start with small jobs and build up from there." With that mindset, she went looking for her first step. "I started doing research and luckily discovered that there are many organizations in the Netherlands that are committed to people with a refugee background. Through them, I visited various places and events."

That's how Özlem ended up at Refugee Talent Hub, where she found a suitable work experience placement at Arcadis. She was selected and was given the opportunity to see how engineers in the Netherlands work within the Talent Academy of Arcadis for six months. "My first internship was very important," says Özlem. "Such an internship, in a field that I already know a lot about, opens the way to a job in a new country. I started with small jobs. That went well and gave me self-confidence and the feeling that I could do bigger jobs with more responsibility. And so I kept going one step further, and I kept getting a little further."

Getting Started
During her internship, Özlem discovered that work experience and education were not enough. “Language is also very important,” she says. This realization motivated her to take an intensive Dutch course right after her internship, with which she eventually reached the B2 level.

After the birth of her baby, ten months later, Özlem started applying for jobs again. This time with the help of UAF. She found a job as a work planner at a construction company, where she has now been working happily for five months. The first months at her new job were exciting. “I was afraid that my Dutch wasn’t good enough,” she says. “But I quickly learned that openness is important. You shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions or not know something.”

Özlem's tips
During her process, Özlem often doubted herself. "There were moments when I thought: should I do something else? But it's important not to give up. In the end, you will be rewarded."
In order to help others, we conclude with a number of tips for people in a recognizable situation who have difficulty finding their place on the Dutch labor market:

•  Gain experience: If you get the chance to shadow a company in your field, do it right away. You may not be able to do what you did back home right away, but starting somewhere is essential.
•  Be open to new possibilities: Look at the possibilities that are there. I have searched a lot for organizations that help refugees and that is how I ended up at Refugee Talent Hub and UAF . And also delve into other social organizations that are committed to people with a refugee background.
•  Start small: An internship gives you the chance to start with small jobs and build up slowly. This gives you confidence.
•  Network via LinkedIn: Create a profile on LinkedIn and try to connect with people. If you don't know how to do that, there are plenty of organizations or online checklists that can help you with that. Many activities of Refugee Talent Hub also help you build a LinkedIn network.
•  Don't give up: It takes time and energy, and there will always be doubts. But the rewards often come when you least expect it.
  
   Sign up for Refugee Talent Hub
  Do you, like Özlem, want to take the step towards a career in the Netherlands? Refugee Talent Hub helps refugees and employers get closer together.Create an account , upload your CV and sign up for activities with our partners!