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Behzad Pourdarab known to friends as ‘Behz’ is proudly celebrating a career milestone. This month marks two years in his dream role, with a multi-national company.
"I feel proud of myself despite the challenges and here I am and I am truly happy. Now I have enough income to support myself in this society on my own and not leaning on my family or friends to survive."
It’s a big turnaround for the 33-year-old who works as a functional designer in Information and Communication technology or ICT.
"I've applied for almost a hundred jobs and when you do not hear back, you just lose your confidence, you are close to breakdown. That was how I felt when I initially started to look for an IT role. "
Sadly, it’s an all-too-common story. The Australian Institute of Family Studies found that only one quarter of refugees find employment within the first two years. And it’s a statistic that employment service founder Carmen Garcia aims to change.
"The biggest reason they don't get an interview is they don't have local experience. What we are trying to prove is that the experience they bring from overseas in a globalised world absolutely has value to companies here in Australia."
Breaking down barriers is the focus of Carmen Garcia’s social enterprise Community Corporate, which is based in Adelaide.
"Last financial year, Community Corporate helped over 1600 people all across Australia. 90% of them came from a refugee or migrant background. I think the key to our success is we have an employer-led model. We listen to our employers, we understand what challenges they face. "
With state government backing, Community Corporate is expanding its reach this year with a new service. Carmen Garcia explains.
"We can create a one-stop shop to connect employers looking for talent and skilled migrants that have never known where to get started. This skilled migrant job support centre is really targeting those professionals in the ICT industry, engineering, building and construction where we've got massive projects not only in South Australia but nationally."
Among employers at its recent opening, Mark Smith, Chief Operating Officer of OTR or On the Run, a 900-outlet retail network.
"We are a national business and we've got a large expansion program underway. Our commitment this year is to try and land at least 500 placements from community corporate into the workforce. Our vision is to become Australia's number one convenience retailer. I would love for community corporate to continue to be by our side."
Like Mark Smith, many Australian employers are keen to do the right thing– but Carmen Garcia says barriers persist.
"The prevalence of discrimination and unconscious bias, particularly in the workplace is unfortunately still alive and well. One of the challenges for refugee and migrant employment is that people consider it a charity and we're not asking for charity, we're asking for that chance."
Carmen Garcia knows about the struggles new arrivals face
"I was born here in Adelaide and raised by a single mum from the Philippines. And she's definitely influenced me being skilled as a lawyer but having to start again in entry level jobs and not having her overseas qualifications recognised. It reminds me how important work is for that sense of belonging and freedom and a sense of human dignity."
It’s one reason Carmen Garcia helps others get started in Australia, especially asylum seekers like Behz. He risked his life to get here from Iran and cross the sea from Indonesia.
"Imagine 169 people on a small wooden boat with newborn babies. Can you imagine how devastating those moments were? When we had no hope and until today, after 12 years still I have nightmares being on a boat in the middle of the ocean."
Behz is thankful for the helping hand that changed his life forever.
"For someone who didn't have a hope or was suffering who didn't know what to do and pick me up from that route and put me on a track of success. I am grateful to Carmen and her team for the rest of my life and I do whatever I can to pay back their favour."
