Successful and not easy route to research job by Marine Scientist Transitions candidate

Name: Mebrahtu A. Woldemariam Profession: Marine Scientist Current Job & Employer: Marine Science Researcher, as a freelance consultant with Blue Ventures Conservation Country of origin: Eritrea                                                                                                                                          What were the issues keeping you out of work? It is very hard to indicate specific issues as it could be for several reasons that work together in combination but a few examples are: ·  Lack of work experience in the UK. ·  Lack of understanding the UK job market. ·  Lack of understanding on part of employers that refugees could come with enough qualification to complete tasks appropriately and perform adequately. ·      Lack of proper support, particularly from the JC+. Many of staff members at JC+ are not skilled enough to help job seekers meet the main criteria set by employers. Their main duty seems only to ensure that jobseekers are making job searches with out consideration whether they are appropriate or not. In addition, many of the services do not cater for refugees, particularly refugees with qualifications from overseas. ·      Lack of integration between the services of the JC+ and other professional bodies trying to assist refugees. What things made a difference? Trying to avoid creating a gap in career by staying focused and positive made the main difference. The targeted and assertive approach Transitions follows helped me achieve this. In Transitions there is understanding of the needs of educated refugees that require specific supports both as refugees and job seekers as career professionals. How is your career going now?  My career is progressing well and in the way I wanted it to be. It could have been better but I cannot complain too much. The good thing is that I am still in my field of profession and I haven’t had a gap in my career.