The World cITizens @ Work project has changed my life.

Having Coffee at Conclusion

Imagine leaving behind everything you’ve built for the safety of your family! That’s what happened to Ibrahim. With little more than their passports, he and his family ended up in the Netherlands.
“That seemed like the best choice. Just like us, many people here speak English. After two months, I found a job as a barista at Conclusion. A good first step, since in Ukraine I was a location manager at a popular coffee roaster. But it was also a job with little challenge and few growth opportunities.”

From Barista to IT Professional

If there’s one sector where you’re challenged every day and can keep developing yourself, it’s IT.
“That’s why, after six months, I expressed my ambition to pursue a career in IT. My manager took that very seriously and pointed me to the then brand-new World cITizens @ Work project. In this retraining program, you follow ten months of intensive language, culture, and IT training. After that, you’re guaranteed a job at one of the Conclusion companies. There was one catch: all classes were in Dutch. To have a chance at one of the ten spots in the program, I learned the language to the required B1 level within six months.”

A Solid Foundation for an IT Career

Interest in the project was high. Still, Ibrahim managed to secure one of the training spots.
“The training program was intense but incredibly educational. First, I learned Dutch at B2 level. Then I got to work with Java, HTML, and CSS for web applications, followed by object-oriented programming, SQL, and databases. I learned so much in such a short time! Sometimes I worked late into the night on projects. But it was absolutely worth it. The best part was collaborating with Dutch students. That’s how I learned a lot about Dutch culture.”

The Start of a Dream Career

After successfully completing the training program, Ibrahim began his dream career as an engineer. In his role as Information Management Specialist at Conclusion, he works in the IT & Innovation team.
“I’m the functional administrator of the tool that supports the authentication and authorization process for employee onboarding, transfers, and offboarding. I also contribute to the asset management system: I’m responsible for registering assets in AFAS.”

“I also develop reports and data visualizations in Power BI based on data from sources like SQL, AFAS, and Azure. And I help improve information flows and data quality within the organization. It’s a varied role where I work with six Dutch colleagues. They’re always willing to help. Thanks to that open and engaged atmosphere, I really feel at home here.”

Looking Ahead with Pride

Reflecting on the World cITizens @ Work project, Ibrahim feels mostly proud and grateful.
“I’ve learned so much in such a short time—the project truly changed my life. Fleeing Ukraine with my family was intense, and our future was uncertain. Look where I am now! Conclusion welcomed me warmly and helped me build a new career. I look ahead with ambition: learning even more from my colleagues, supporting them by taking on responsibilities, and growing into a leadership role in the coming years.”