Portrait of Behz Pourdarab, 33-year-old functional designer in ICT He faced immense challenges after arriving in Australia as an asylum seeker from Iran in 2013. There were forces everywhere to keep him down but his grit, courage and unwavering resolve helped continue to push him through. After almost two years and about 100 applications for job, he landed his dream gig with an international multinational giant.
Upon landing in Australia, Pourdarab made his home in Adelaide. There, he would work as a food delivery driver, and later teach swimming classes. He obtained further qualifications, with Australian technology certifications and a construction diploma from Tehran. This type of strategic reskilling was hugely important for his career pivot into ICT.
One of the most important breakthroughs he made came during an election campaign when he met Carmen Garcia. She is the founder of Community Corporate, a non-profit connecting skilled migrants to Australian employers. Garcia’s advocacy and support turned out to be crucial in helping Pourdarab make the connections he needed to find job opportunities in the industry.
Two years ago, getting his foot in the door was sole challenge Pourdarab faced in the ICT industry. Reflecting on his journey, he stated, “I feel proud of myself. Despite many challenges. I am truly happy.” This sentiment is a refrain heard from the thousands of highly-skilled migrants just hoping to find work that’s commensurate with their skill and education level.
Garcia, for instance, recently introduced a $600,000 pilot program to establish a new migrant worker job centre. Supported by the state government, this centre plans to help at least 120 skilled migrants in its first year. This new center aims to directly address critical workforce shortages. In particular, it complements efforts to strengthen the ICT, engineering and health services sectors. Garcia emphasized the ongoing issues faced by migrants: “The prevalence of discrimination and unconscious bias, particularly in the workplace, is unfortunately still alive and well.”
Pourdarab’s experience is not unique. Jahidullah Tokhi, another skilled migrant and IT expert from Afghanistan, sent out 50 applications before finding success through Community Corporate. Since its launch in 2019, the organization has been able to hire and place more than 230 people successfully. Last year, it accomplished a phenomenal 83% retention rate, well above the average for standard application processes. Mark Smith, CEO of OTR, noted the importance of these partnerships: “Since 2019, we have taken on more than 230 people through our partnership with Community Corporate. This retention rate of 83 per cent last year is much greater than the typical application and interview process.”
Even with these successes, many of the skilled migrants who have come through still experience barriers, often because they lack the necessary local experience. Pourdarab shared his struggles during the job search process, recalling, “I applied for almost 100 jobs and when you do not hear back, you lose your confidence and you question your ability.” He further added, “You can feel close to a breakdown when trying to look for a skilled role with no success.”
Garcia’s ambition is to help the potential that this overseas experience can create in Australian firms. Her point is that the talented migrants are not looking for a handout, they just want that chance to show what they can do. Pourdarab echoed this sentiment when he said, “Asylum seekers and refugees are not asking for a favour, just a chance.”
Today, Pourdarab enjoys financial independence and stability. He remarked, “Now I have enough income to support myself on my own without leaning on my family or friends to survive.” His journey from a troubled past marked by perilous crossings—he recalls traveling on a small wooden boat from Indonesia with 169 others—has transformed into a story of perseverance and hope.
