Abdul Fatah Waziri – Refugee Social Service Employment Program with the Ethiopian Community Development Council – Success Story - Workforce Development and Adult Learning

Mr. Abdul Fateh Waziri moved to the United States on a Special Immigration Visa (SIV) program. He participated in the Refugee Social Service (RSS) Employment Program with the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Mr. Waziri has a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and more than five years of experience in construction quality control projects. While he had a lot of professional certificates from Afghanistan, he needed to fine-tune his resume to demonstrate his skills and expertise. Mr. Waziri stated that following his intake with ECDC, he received job training to assist him with resume and cover letter writing, understanding job sites, and U.S work culture. Following this, he began working with the ECDC Business Engagement team, which connected him to a network of local employers.

As a result, Mr. Waziri started an entry-level job as a technician in a construction company in June 2020. In September 2020, he received a job offer that fits his skill level, working as a quality control manager in Maryland – the same position he held in Afghanistan. Mr. Waziri states that he loves this new job.

"I had a lot of experience in Afghanistan, but not a lot of experience in the U.S.," Mr. Waziri stated. "If I were speaking to someone newly coming, I'd tell them to make sure they have their certifications but be prepared to start in an entry-level position and work their way up." Mr. Waziri noted that this could be very confusing to someone who recently arrived.

While Mr. Waziri worked with ECDC's employment team, he was extremely independent in his job search. He still benefited from the job search training, interview preparation, and hiring events advertised by ECDC.

Additionally, he validated that the job search process can often be confusing for recent arrivals, who must quickly understand the United States' job market norms and procedures. He has been very grateful to find a job he enjoys so much and confirms that others like him may benefit from other ECDC employment services.