28-year-old Samer comes to the Netherlands with one goal: to work in the port of Rotterdam. In Syria he already starts a maritime education, but due to the high costs he cannot finish it. He starts working and already gains considerable work experience in the maritime sector: he works for two years as a second officer and one year as a trainee on a ship. Then, because of the war, he has to flee his country. Once in the Netherlands, he does not abandon his dream of becoming a captain. But where do you start in a country you don't know?
Samer applies for jobs at the port, but keeps getting rejected. He could use some help from someone who knows the industry well and turns to DUO for a JOB. Here he meets 68-year-old Sjaak, who has worked in the maritime industry his entire career. Sjaak sailed all over the world and then became active in pilotage. If anyone knows the maritime sector in the Netherlands well, it is Sjaak. Samer is thrilled to be paired with this experienced maritime mentor!
Sjaak and Samer become a duo for 6 months and build a strong relationship. Sjaak helps his mentee apply for a job and within just a few months Samer is practically hired at a company in Brielle. The only thing standing in the way is the fact that Samer does not yet have a Dutch driver's license. Together they make a plan. “Sjaak advised me to focus on my driver's license. I was trying to apply for jobs for which I don't meet the requirements. Sjaak made me see which jobs do or do not suit me,” Samer says. His prospects are hopeful: soon he will take his driver's license exam and then he will most likely be able to work as a nautical inspector.
As a mentor, Sjaak means a lot to Samer, but not only in terms of job search. Samer says: “I have had a lot of help from Sjaak. If I had a question, I could always go to him. I can talk to him about anything. Sjaak is like a friend to me”. On the other hand, Sjaak also learns a lot from Samer: “I learned a lot from Samer about the situation in Syria. Things that I don't hear here in the media and that I would never have known otherwise”.
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