Atheer found himself living displaced in Jordan after fleeing conflict in Iraq. Life as a refugee meant his rights and freedoms were restricted, and he was unable to make full use of his skills. Now, he’s living in Melbourne, Australia, working as Full Stack Engineer for financial technology company, Iress.

Here, Atheer shares his inspiring story in his own words:

I am Atheer. I am a software engineer at Iress, a financial services company.

I migrated to Australia through the Skilled Refugee Labour Agreement Pilot with the help of Talent Beyond Boundaries last year.

Before learning of TBB, my journey to find my future was challenging and didn’t seem possible on the basis of my skills. Before being displaced in Jordan, I was working in the tech field in Iraq for six years. When I fled Iraq to Jordan, I was displaced there for eight years. It was tough to find a job that matched my skills level due to work permission restrictions for refugees like me.

Due to my vulnerable situation, I had to work in a field that was unrelated to my skills and below the minimum wage. As a displaced person in Jordan, I was also prevented from doing many things that are considered minimum human rights for any person.

Finding a job that would change my life seemed impossible, until I heard about TBB - a fantastic organisation that helped me shape my resume and apply for jobs internationally.

And then it happened. I got a code challenge to solve, which was the beginning of my hiring process with Iress. After three interviews organised and facilitated by TBB, I finally got the job that changed my life!

Atheer (pictured above with his ultimate frisbee team) has been warmly embraced by his new community in Melbourne, Australia.

Without the stress and limitations of refugee life, Atheer has been able to enjoy his leisure time and take up new sports, like cycling.

It's been over a year now, and my life has changed drastically for the better. I’ve started doing new sports, like cycling. I have a chance to play more and improve in my favourite sport - ultimate frisbee. I will be on a team representing Victoria in the master category to play locally, and maybe event internationally!

In terms of my career, I'm glad to be working with my team on a fantastic trading product used by big banks and multinational companies. I feel proud that I'm adding value and making a difference. People at Iress are very helpful and welcoming, which made settling in much easier. They became my family with their awesome culture and work environment. 

But it's not just about me. In my eight years in Jordan, I saw many talented displaced people in different fields who could enrich the culture of a country and add value to a workplace that gave them a chance.

To other employers out there, I would say: If you're in a position to give someone a chance, please do! You never know what kind of talent and potential you might be missing out on.