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| 'It was the first time I realised I was different' – a UK migrant's story | 'It was the first time I realised I was different' – a UK migrant's story |
| (1 day later) | |
| Mohamed Mahyoub came to the UK from Yemen as an immigrant in 2005, aged 14. He now works as a technical lead at a business skills training provider and is studying for a PhD in artificial intelligence. He is also the founder of Native Start, an organisation to support Yemeni and Arabic communities in the UK, and in 2015 won the Young Adult Learner of the Year Award. | |
| I came to the UK as a child to better my life. I moved here with my grandad. Before I came here I didn’t know much about the UK, but I hoped it would be a safe place for me. You hear a lot in the news about the UK’s poor treatment of immigrants, and about people having scary experiences when they do come here, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. | I came to the UK as a child to better my life. I moved here with my grandad. Before I came here I didn’t know much about the UK, but I hoped it would be a safe place for me. You hear a lot in the news about the UK’s poor treatment of immigrants, and about people having scary experiences when they do come here, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. |
| When I arrived, it was the first time I realised I was different. It was difficult when I first arrived and it took time for me to settle in. Gradually I became more understanding of different cultures and I came to accept others who are different. In the end you hope everyone just becomes more accepting of one another. | When I arrived, it was the first time I realised I was different. It was difficult when I first arrived and it took time for me to settle in. Gradually I became more understanding of different cultures and I came to accept others who are different. In the end you hope everyone just becomes more accepting of one another. |
| For me, the difficulties started in school. I didn’t really know any English, so that was very hard. I used to carry a dictionary round with me to every lesson, and I had to look up words just to ask a question. | For me, the difficulties started in school. I didn’t really know any English, so that was very hard. I used to carry a dictionary round with me to every lesson, and I had to look up words just to ask a question. |
| But once I learned English, things got easier. When I was in college I started working at my uncle’s newsagents because no other place would accept me. But once I got A-levels and my English improved, I started working as a web developer. Then I went to university, which included a year in industry to work, and I started up my own business to support refugees in the UK. After that I went back to university to study for a PhD in artificial intelligence. I’m currently working full-time as a technical lead in computing, while studying for a full-time PhD as well. | But once I learned English, things got easier. When I was in college I started working at my uncle’s newsagents because no other place would accept me. But once I got A-levels and my English improved, I started working as a web developer. Then I went to university, which included a year in industry to work, and I started up my own business to support refugees in the UK. After that I went back to university to study for a PhD in artificial intelligence. I’m currently working full-time as a technical lead in computing, while studying for a full-time PhD as well. |
| The recognition you get in this country motivates you to succeed. What’s so great about the UK is that as soon as you learn and you achieve, you get recognition. It pushes you and motivates you to succeed. As soon as you break the language barrier, things get much easier and you can achieve a lot. | The recognition you get in this country motivates you to succeed. What’s so great about the UK is that as soon as you learn and you achieve, you get recognition. It pushes you and motivates you to succeed. As soon as you break the language barrier, things get much easier and you can achieve a lot. |
| Related: There’s plenty more space for humanity on this ‘tiny’ island | Zoe Williams | Related: There’s plenty more space for humanity on this ‘tiny’ island | Zoe Williams |
| Most migrants come to the UK with skills, but they don’t get the opportunity to use them. Many immigrants have a degree and other qualifications but because of the language barrier, they can’t compete with English speakers. So they end up working in low-paid jobs. Then their English improves to a stage where they can compete after about five years, but by that stage it is too difficult for them to go back to working in that field. So they then stay in those low-paid jobs because they’re used to it and it’s what they do. | Most migrants come to the UK with skills, but they don’t get the opportunity to use them. Many immigrants have a degree and other qualifications but because of the language barrier, they can’t compete with English speakers. So they end up working in low-paid jobs. Then their English improves to a stage where they can compete after about five years, but by that stage it is too difficult for them to go back to working in that field. So they then stay in those low-paid jobs because they’re used to it and it’s what they do. |
| For example, my uncle came to the UK with a masters degree in computing but ended up working in a newsagent. He wasn’t able to express himself in interviews. He also wanted to study further, but he couldn’t so he ended up working in a low-skilled role. He eventually owned the newsagent and managed it full-time. | For example, my uncle came to the UK with a masters degree in computing but ended up working in a newsagent. He wasn’t able to express himself in interviews. He also wanted to study further, but he couldn’t so he ended up working in a low-skilled role. He eventually owned the newsagent and managed it full-time. |
| We need some sort of strategy to make the most of these highly-skilled people. Help from the government in terms of professional development for refugees would be good. For example, providing them with relevant work experience. This will give them a route to change their lives. | We need some sort of strategy to make the most of these highly-skilled people. Help from the government in terms of professional development for refugees would be good. For example, providing them with relevant work experience. This will give them a route to change their lives. |
| When you come to the UK as an immigrant, you come with a mission to better your life. You have a motivation to work hard and support your family. There’s a reason why you would make the effort to move abroad. Where I came from it was just so difficult to get an education and even then there wasn’t any reason to push yourself as there weren’t any job opportunities. | When you come to the UK as an immigrant, you come with a mission to better your life. You have a motivation to work hard and support your family. There’s a reason why you would make the effort to move abroad. Where I came from it was just so difficult to get an education and even then there wasn’t any reason to push yourself as there weren’t any job opportunities. |
| I feel lucky that I’ve had the opportunity to change my life, to give back to society and contribute to the world. You feel very grateful to the country that allowed you to make this change. And you want to give back to that country, you want to keep coming back to the idea of giving back. As a child, the UK opened my eyes to the world. | I feel lucky that I’ve had the opportunity to change my life, to give back to society and contribute to the world. You feel very grateful to the country that allowed you to make this change. And you want to give back to that country, you want to keep coming back to the idea of giving back. As a child, the UK opened my eyes to the world. |
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