Ana Paula Bertioti-Schüler, Certificate assessment Bachelor's in Business Administration

My story

Ana Bertioti-Schüler arrived in Germany at the age of 34 because she had fallen in love with a man from Rostock. She had already accumulated a considerable amount of professional experience having obtained a Bachelor's in Business Administration before gaining 15 years of professional experience with prestigious companies. She was confident of repeating this career success in Germany. Initial euphoria, however, quickly gave way to a number of setbacks. Ana found the German language a particular struggle. But today, at the age of 38, she has fully settled into life in Germany and feels integrated. “The certificate assessment of my Brazilian qualification made a major contribution to this,” Ana stressed.

The Job Centre in Rostock advised her to use the IQ Network recognition guidance service to look into the opportunities of a certificate assessment for her bachelor's degree. It would be difficult to find a job without undertaking this. Ana set about the task immediately. Her advisor helped her to gather the necessary documentation, and she submitted an application for certificate assessment to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) in September 2016.

In the meantime, Ana participated in a six-month training measure aimed at persons with academic qualifications offered by the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania IQ Network. This programme included practical language exercises, communication training and basic knowledge of the German economic system being imparted across occupations. A short time later, the ZAB confirmed that Ana Bertioti-Schüler’s qualification was equivalent to a German bachelor's degree. She was now ready to enter the labour market and embarked upon the application process with great enthusiasm. However, although she completed two internships, Ana was unable to find a job. “It wasn’t that the companies were unwilling to give me a chance. But you need a C1 language level for this kind of work.”

Ana has already achieved level B1 and is determined to achieve level C1 by attending further language courses. Her aim then is to master's course of study in order to explore this occupational field even more effectively. She hopes that this will improve her opportunities on the labour market. The certificate assessment was an important first step. “The certificate assessment of my bachelor's degree is something which is very personal to me. I feel integrated and am motivated to achieve my goals.”

The interview with Ana Paula Bertioti-Schüler was conducted in June 2018. She received her certificate assessment from the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen [Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB)]. Guidance and support were provided by migra e. V., part of the IQ Network Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Ana also took part in a training measure for persons with academic qualifications offered by the AFZ Aus- und Fortbildungszentrum Rostock GmbH [AFZ Initial and Advanced Training Centre in Rostock].

My procedure in brief