New Home Germany

Shenda Darwish and Jawed Quazi are two of the refugees who came to Germany in the last three years. 850,000 arrived in 2015 alone. Very few have job qualifications. That means society has to invest to get these refugees fit for the labor market and integrate them in the long-term. This documentary reveals how and if that can work.

In order to get ready for the German world of work, the refugees take language and integration courses and employers too can take training sessions to learn how to deal with the new arrivals. But there are regular disappointments: refugees quit trial periods and some never even show up for their internships. The majority of German businesses want skilled workers. Shenda Darwish has passed her theory test at driving school, despite her difficulties with the German language. The dream of driving a car is coming true for the 25-year-old from Syria, who is now living in Leipzig. But her second dream - to work as a hairdresser - still seems out of reach. Even her year of work experience with a well-known hair stylist hasn't helped. That's because he only finished seven years of school in Syria. In Germany, she has had to start again to get at least ninth grade qualifications. Then she has to find a place to train. Jawed Quazi from Afghanistan seems to have reached his goal already: he has found a steady job as a tailor in Schmölln in Thuringia. His trial period convinced his boss and now Jawed has a proper contract. That makes him very much an exception in his asylum seekers' hostel in Altenburg.