Ahmed Ibrahim, Aircraft electronics technician

My story

“For me, recognition means working in Germany, stability, and future.”

Ahmed Ibrahim accumulated professional experience as an aircraft specialist for nine years in his native country of Egypt. He had already completed a degree in electronics and communications engineering and had supplemented this with practical training as an aircraft electronics technician. Yet the opportunities for a big career failed to materialise. He felt that challenges and room for creativity were lacking. “I have so many creative ideas. It was difficult to put these in motion in my native country.” This is why he decided in 2014 to move to Germany and work there.

He had already set this future in motion in Egypt. He took a German course there and achieved level B1. When he arrived in Bavaria in 2017, he was able to build on his technical and professional language skills at the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences. He sees language skills as the foundation of a new beginning: “It is very, very important!”. But what were his personal motivations for coming to Germany? Ahmed Ibrahim associates safety and freedom with his chosen home: “Where you come from or who you are is not important here. I can participate and my opinion is important. I feel like I am taken seriously.”

Now 34, Ahmed Ibrahim’s first step for his new beginning in Germany led him to AHK Egypt. The ProRecognition advised him there on the possibilities of working in Germany. As a result he applied for a job-seeking visa. The job search in Bavaria was initially unsuccessful. This was because the main aspect of Ahmed Ibrahim’s job in Egypt was the maintenance of aircraft. And for this particular task a licence from the Federal Aviation Office is required. Ahmed Ibrahim went back to AHK Egypt and they referred him to the ProRecognition management team at DIHK Service GmbH in Berlin. They contacted the “Tür an Tür” association in Augsburg, a counselling centre from MigraNet, the Network IQ Bavaria. There he was advised on the possibilities of professional recognition as an aircraft electronics technician.

In mid-2017 Ahmed Ibrahim sent an application for recognition to the IHK FOSA and received partial recognition. He made up for the substantial differences identified in the notice by doing refresher training at AERO-Bildung GmbH. Then he sent a follow-up application and received full recognition. Ahmed Ibrahim also took part in bridge training for engineers at the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences. Specialist workshops and soft-skill courses also take place as part of the Akademische Brückenqualifizierung International (“international academic bridge training”). And since Ahmed Ibrahim also passed the required examination from the Federal Aviation Office with flying colours, he is now one step further. He just needs two more years of professional experience in order to get the necessary licence for aircraft maintenance in Germany.

Looking back, Ahmed Ibrahim feels that the bureaucracy posed the biggest challenges. He remains very grateful for “the huge support” he received from all sides. Professional recognition helped him on his way to the top and opened the doors to aviation companies like Airbus or Lufthansa. In the end he decided to take a job as an aircraft engineer at the company Lilium, near Munich. Air taxis intended to transport passengers without needing a human pilot are built here. Ahmed Ibrahim works as part of an aircraft engineer team. He inspects the newly developed air taxis for approval by the authorities and carries out test flights. In the internationally-aligned company he is now able to realise his ideas and goals in a young team with colleagues from various countries. His expectations of Germany have been completely fulfilled since recognition: “It is fantastic now ... I have a very good job and a nice flat. I have everything I need for a flying start.” 

The interview with Ahmed Ibrahim took place in January 2020. He submitted the application for recognition to IHK FOSA. ProRecognition at AHK Egypt, ProRecognition in Berlin, and the association “Tür an Tür” in MigraNet - Network IQ Bavaria all advised him on the recognition procedure. The refresher training to make up for the identified substantial differences took place at AERO-Bildung GmbH. He completed the bridge training for engineers at the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences.
 

My procedure in brief