Shengyul Abazova, Office clerk

My story

When Shengyul Abazova moved from Bulgaria to Germany in 2013 she brought a diploma in Office Management and 15 years of Berufserfahrung. Her husband was already living in Halle. For this reason the family decided to build their new life there. When the 39-year-old went to the Jobcenter Halle (Saale) she was not counting on being able to work in the occupation she was qualified in. “At that time, I didn’t believe I could work in my occupation here. But the advisor at the job centre supported me and said that my fate was in my own hands. She also advised me about the recognition counselling that is available.”

First, Shengyul Abazova embarked on an intensive course of study in the German language and after nine months attained B2 level. The second step involved making use of the recognition counselling of the IQ Service Point Vocational Recognition and Qualification Counselling at the AWO SPI gGmbH in Halle (Saale). Then, in June 2014, she applied for a certificate of equivalence from the IHK FOSA, which after assessing the content of her Bulgarian training suggested comparison with the German occupation of “office clerk”. A few months later the results arrived: “I obtained full recognition. Part of my occupational experience was taken into consideration for the certificate of equivalence, because the practical component during my training was insufficient.” 

However, Ms. Abazova’s aim was to qualify as an accountant. Again the Job Centre provided advice. By obtaining recognition as an office clerk she fulfilled an important requirement.  But a course in accounting was necessary in order to the make the specialist field fully accessible to her in German. For the ambitious young woman at that time it was not a question of desire, but rather of finance: “It wasn’t so easy. We have two children and wouldn’t have been able to afford it.” Ms. Abazova had a double dose of luck: The Jobcenter Halle (Saale) supported the continuing vocational training with a training voucher, and the practical placement at the Häßler tax firm, which was an integrated part of the training, led to a permanent job there. 

The planned qualification as an accountant was decisive. Ms. Abazova obtained information from the IHK Bildungszentrum Halle-Dessau GmbH [Halle-Dessau Chambers of Industry and Commerce Training Centre] about the possibilities of undertaking advanced training. And this training was then supported as part of the IQ support programme. In practical terms, this means the costs were covered. In this way Ms. Abazova was able to use the in-service qualification to help prepare herself for the IHK’s accountancy examination. After passing the first intermediary examinations in autumn 2016 she was promoted to head of the accounting team at the tax firm. Since then she has successfully completed the training! She is now a certified accountant – and is already making her next plans: “I’m thinking about doing an advanced training in Controlling or perhaps a Master course of study. But not immediately. I was studying for almost five years and now I just want to enjoy my time for a while.”

The conversation with Shengyul Abazova took place in November 2017. During the recognition process she received advice and support from the Jobcenter Halle (Saale), the IQ Service Point Vocational Recognition and Qualification Counselling at the AWO SPI gGmbH in Halle (Saale), a sub-project of the Sachsen-Anhalt IQ Network, as well as the Halle-Dessau Chambers of Industry and Commerce Training Centre. She was supported financially by a training voucher from the Jobcentre Halle (Saale) as well as obtaining IQ-funding from the Halle-Dessau Chambers of Industry and Commerce Training Centre.

My procedure in brief