My gut told me: you’ve come to the right place at MAN

Abozar, when and how did you come to Germany?

Abozar: I came to Germany alone in November 2015, travelling from Afghanistan, through Iran and seven or eight other countries on foot and sometimes by boat. When I arrived here, I was adopted by a German family. It was a very difficult start: new country, new culture, new language. I felt like a stranger at first, but now I feel completely at home, and I have a lot of friends. Germany has become my second home.

What prompted you to leave your country, without your family, at the age of just 14?

Abozar: The situation in Afghanistan was difficult and dangerous. My mother and I decided that I should go to another country, find a job there and support the family from there.

How did it go for you in Germany?

Abozar: I lived with the family that adopted me from 2016 until 2018. They helped me a lot and were always there for me. I went to a community school and got my school-leaving qualifications. After that, I looked for some sort of manual job to do.

Marco: Abozar had been taken in by a police officer at that time, who became a kind of foster father. He supported Abozar at the beginning and took care of him; he even called us here sometimes to find out how it was going. He was also very keen to ensure that Abozar learned German and read a lot of books. That helped it all to turn out well.

How did you hear about the apprenticeship at MAN?

Abozar: When I was still at school, I did two work internships as a vehicle mechatronics technician. I really enjoyed them. Then I saw an advert from MAN on the internet, looking for apprentices to work at the Quickborn service centre. I applied straight away. That wasn’t my only job application though: I had five offers, and I opted for MAN. My gut told me: you’ve come to the right place here. But it was tough at first, because I still couldn’t speak German very well. It got better in my second year of apprenticeship and I could communicate better with my colleagues. I am pleased to be able to work here.

What do you most enjoy about being a vehicle mechatronics technician?

Abozar: I’m not an office type, I like to tinker, practical stuff. I think that will always get you somewhere. I really enjoy my work and having contact with customers and colleagues. I’ve finished my apprenticeship now. I passed my final exam last June and was taken on. I’m very proud of that.

Congratulations! What advice would you give to other apprentices?

Abozar: I’m not old enough to be handing out advice.

Marco: He wouldn’t dare! (laughs)

Abozar: I didn’t pass my theoretical exam the first time, and that was awful for me, because training meant everything to me! It’s really important to me to stress how important it is to learn and to be reliable.

Marco, what would you recommend to other training supervisors?

Marco: You have to provide support, and also give people a second chance when it is needed. After failing his exam, Abozar went through a phase when things weren’t going so well. But he turned it around. He is very committed, helpful and also very grateful to have had the opportunity to do the apprenticeship. All of us here in Quickborn are behind him.

Abozar, what’s your greatest wish?

Abozar: My greatest wish is to bring my family to Germany one day. Otherwise though, everything is good and I’m very happy.

How do you see your future with MAN?

Abozar: I would like to stay here in Quickborn and gain further qualifications. I enjoy working for MAN and I very much appreciate the chance that I’ve been given. In the near future, I would like to start working as a breakdown mechanic with Mobile24.

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