Life in Australia “like a dream come true” for Maya and her family

**Pictured above:** Maya, a Civil Engineer and Palestinian refugee, at her new workplace in Esperance, Western Australia.

Maya is a Civil Engineer and Palestinian refugee. She has a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering and a Master of Science in civil engineering from Rafik Hariri University - but she and her family were living displaced in Lebanon, where their rights and opportunities were limited.

After registering on the Talent Catalog, Maya secured a role with Bluemar Consulting Engineers in the town of Esperance, Western Australia, where the family relocated in 2022.

Here, Maya shares her experience in her own words:

Interview preparation

Preparing for the interview [with Bluemar Consulting Engineers] was one of the biggest challenges I have ever had in my life. Even though I had experience in doing job interviews, it was the first time where I had to do one with an international company.

TBB helped me prepare by doing ‘mock interviews’ with Australian engineers, and I worked a lot to understand more about the company; its projects and vision. This gave me some idea of what Bluemar may ask me in the interview - and what things would make me the best candidate for the job.

Adjusting to work in Australia

Working as a Civil Engineer in Australia is totally different than in Lebanon. Everything is different in terms of laws, regulations and standards. At first, it was difficult for me to be familiar with all these things - but with the help of my colleagues at Bluemar, and especially my manager, Shaun Meares, it is much easier now.

I am now familiar with all the new changes, and am improving my professional development to be more aligned with Australian standards.

At the same time, I am having a work-life balance! (which I was not able to have in Lebanon). This is so important, and Bluemar is a very good example of a welcoming workplace where I feel that it is a friendly environment - not just a work one.

Pictured above L-R: Maya and her family being greeted by TBB at the airport; Maya at work in Esperance, Western Australia; Maya with her colleagues at Bluemar Consulting Engineers; Maya with her husband and son, enjoying the picturesque beaches of their new hometown.

Support from TBB

TBB is an amazing organization. Since the first day, TBB’s team were by my side. Whenever I needed anything or had any question, they were always there. They were so organized and explained the process in a very detailed way. They were always giving advice in all the domains - whether it was financial or technical.

Through the visa application process, they were always in touch with me and my family to update us on all the new things and at the same time, to ask if we needed any help.

For me, TBB is not just an organization that helps refugees - it is more like a family that really helps you to have a better future and life in every way. Even today, they are still helping, even though I got the job and I am in Australia!

Life in Esperance

Living in Esperance is a like a dream come true for me and my family.

It is an amazing place with the best beaches and views in the world. People here are so friendly and lovely. We are really feeling that we are living our best days - as if we are on a long vacation! It is a calm place where you can maintain a work-life balance.

Living here allows us to forget all the difficult and hard moments we have experienced during our life in Lebanon. I feel that we are so lucky to have the opportunity to live in this beautiful place.

Being embraced by the local community

It has been over a year since I arrived in Esperance, and I was proud to receive the ‘Innovation and Excellence Award’ at the Esperance Chamber of Commerce's annual celebration. This prestigious award was sponsored by Regional Development Australia Goldfields Esperance.

Furthermore, I was honoured to be invited by Shelly Payne MLC to speak at this year’s International Women’s Day event as an inspiring woman. The event was a huge success, and many women were moved by my speech. Some even stopped me in the street to express how much they were touched, saying “Your speech was amazing, you made us cry!”

I am happy to share these accomplishments, as I believe it is important to highlight the supportive and appreciative nature of the Esperance community toward my skills and my experience, regardless of any other factor such as being a refugee or Muslim.

Advice for others in similar circumstances

Being a refugee was always a problem for me. Now I’m recognised as an engineer in Australia and looking forward to many more successful years!

When refugees are traveling under this program [Australia’s Skilled Refugee Pilot, supported by TBB] they can feel so proud of themselves and their skills. Employers are offering them a job because they will add value and do good work at their new companies.

If you get the opportunity to gain international employment through TBB, you must work very hard to not miss the opportunity. It is a golden card which doesn’t come twice. It is not easy - it was a long and complicated journey where I had to spend most of my time working on my applications and preparing for all the tests - but always I was looking to the bright and successful future I will have and be able to share with my family.

Don’t give up and always think of the future!