Australia: If You’re Somali, Don’t Bother to Look For a Job

[Jacaylbaro]

Abdulkadir Shire and Ali-nur Duale are masters of disguise. The two Somali men, now in their 50s, have spent more than 30 years between them applying for jobs in Melbourne. Their tactics have ranged from the shrewd (omitting their nationality and native language on CVs) to the downright devious (“de-Arabising” their first names by replacing them with initials). But their real skill is one that not many people would think of bringing to the job market: making themselves look unintelligent on paper.

 

They call it “downskilling”: cutting from their résumés any hint of a qualification or achievement that might make them appear too smart for the jobs they’re applying for. In Duale’s case, that means a PhD in applied entomology and a distinguished career developing crop protection programs across Africa and India. In Shire’s case, it’s a Masters in petrochemical engineering and a diploma from Victoria University.

 

But for both men, the game is officially now up.

 

Read Full Story ...... HERE

[Jacaylbaro]

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[Polanyi]

Ethnic bladlanders disagree.

[ElPunto]

It's a strange situation. The same applies in Canada though with much less racism and more opportunities than Australia. These countries say they want 'skilled' immigrants and yet do everything to put up road blocks for these immigrants finding employment. Why not simply take unskilled immigrants if all these skilled immigrants end up doing that unskilled work?

 

Dr Abdirahman Kulmiye is a newcomer to the group, but his story is all too typical. A highly erudite marine scientist in his late 40s, Kulmiye arrived in Australia in early 2007 with high hopes of landing a professional job. This is a man who should get a job in any country with a coastline – let alone one surrounded by sea. His CV (undoctored, he stresses) includes long periods with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation and three years as Chief Technical Adviser at Somalia’s Ministry of Fisheries.

 

But after dozens of applications for scientific and research postings, and not one letter of reply, a dejected Kulmiye sent a note back to his old colleagues in Africa – and was immediately offered a job by Vétérinaires sans Frontières. Despondent and running low on money, he eventually took up a consultancy with the Swiss NGO.

 

“The main reason I haven’t been able to get a job in Australia is that employers want to see local work experience before they’ll give you any themselves,” says Kulmiye. “I don’t really understand this endless focus on local experience, especially if you’ve managed international projects at the highest level. Why doesn’t anyone pay any attention to that?”

 

[Aaliyyah]

It's a strange situation. The same applies in Canada though with much less racism and more opportunities than Australia. These countries say they want 'skilled' immigrants and yet do everything to put up road blocks for these immigrants finding employment. Why not simply take unskilled immigrants if all these skilled immigrants end up doing that unskilled work?

I would assume that is what they term brain drain. Taking skilled immigrants from foreign countries. That way those countries wont take advantage of their skilled citizens. At the same time when they get here they see the reality that they will be stuck with unskilled work and dead end jobs. n it would be difficult to practice in their field...

 

bt still there are immigrants who have worked hard and found jobs in their field...although there are too many obstacles out there and the fact that some people have to support their families might discourage them from taking the extra mile to practice in their field (ie go back to school etc)

 

salaam

[Taleexi]

They should keep trying.

[Som@li]

Experience (specially local)far out weigh education.

 

One thing I have noticed though, is that many immigrants are so hungry for education, that they never think, if their chosen field has market in the first place, I know many Eritreans, Ethiopians and Somalis who got PhDs, but could not get a job, and now driving taxis, because of limited number of jobs available locally in their chosen field.

 

And racism of course exist. but as Taleexi said, Keep trying.

[The Zack]

^Agreed, yaa Somali. Sometimes it is even tough to get a job in those markets that have high demands if one doesn't have the proper experience.

 

Anyways.. aint this old news? Ma hadduu warkan Hargeisa gaadhay I am sure I have read about it months ago.