A career with prospects

Team leader Imad Shaker

Career paths are rarely straightforward. Sometimes they begin with a fresh start in a new country, a new language and a new professional environment. For many companies in Germany, the immigration of skilled workers from abroad plays an important role in countering skills and labor shortages and promoting company growth. Syrian-born Imad Shaker has been living in Germany since 2016 and is now a team leader in Technical Sales at TOPREGAL GmbH. His path led him from a practical start in assembly to business apprenticeship and a leadership role in the company. In this interview, he talks about the formative stages of his career, about learning and further development and about what trust, commitment and prospects can achieve in everyday working life.

You have been living in Stuttgart since 2016 - how did you make your way from Syria to Germany?

"Because of the war, I decided to leave Syria in 2012 - I was 23 years old at the time. It wasn't an easy decision for me: I set off on my own, leaving my parents, my siblings and my old life behind. I had already set up a small company at that point - and yet I ended up leaving the country for Libya. I stayed there for almost 4 years: I set up a small business again and manufactured windows, doors and kitchens and installed them for my customers. One of my brothers and my sister followed me to the North African country. But the war reached me there too: at some point, airports and borders were closed. Because I didn't feel safe, I ended up taking a boat to Italy with my siblings. From there, I first went to Switzerland before finally arriving in Germany at the end of 2016."

What was it like arriving in a foreign country and starting a new life?

"I felt safe in Germany. And yet I was back in a new country and had to start all over again - for the third time. Then there was the language, which was new to me, and the German bureaucracy. I had to deal with a lot of administrative procedures. While I was waiting for my residence permit, I was already trying to learn German with the help of YouTube videos. After the residence permit was granted, I was also allowed to take part in a German course. That was very important for me to be able to understand people and get to know the culture. I also worked part time in a supermarket. This helped me to settle into Germany step by step. And finally, my German teacher told me about a job at TOPREGAL - and this was ultimately to be a turning point in my life."

Today you are a team leader - what was your path at TOPREGAL like?

"I started at TOPREGAL in 2019 in assembly and built heavy-duty shelving, mezzanine floors and prefab offices. After a year and a half, I also trained as a racking inspector so that I could also inspect racking in accordance with the applicable regulations. Thanks to the experience I had gained, I also started working in customer service and field service. This includes on-site customer appointments, racking planning, drawings and 3D models as well as preparing quotations. As my activities also involved office work, my superiors and I decided that training as a wholesale and foreign trade management assistant would be the next sensible step. That was something special, because TOPREGAL doesn't actually offer apprenticeships - and so I was the company's first apprentice. After completing my training, I became a team leader in Technical Sales and am now responsible for team organization and project planning and continue to support my team in day-to-day business and field service appointments."

What makes working at TOPREGAL special for you?

"I was warmly welcomed right from the start. My colleagues and managers are now like family to me. Everyone is helpful and has always supported me, there is a respectful atmosphere. At the same time, good work is rewarded. There is open communication with superiors and you can contribute ideas that are taken seriously. I was able to experience the company's development and growth: When I started at TOPREGAL, the company had around 60 employees. We now have over 250 and the product range has also increased significantly."

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