From Iraq to Karlsruhe: how Anwer joined the construction industry

Our discussion series ‘Working in Germany – Perspectives from around the world’ involves international professionals providing insights into the professional and private experiences they have gleaned in Germany. They also give valuable tips and practical advice relating to arriving in Germany and personal integration.

In mid-September, Anwer Dheyaa Mhmood from Iraq spoke about finding a job as a civil engineer and moving to Germany in 2022. Participants also had the opportunity to ask questions during the online event. They thus obtained valuable tips for their own job applications and regarding integration in Germany.

“Communication is key when it comes to accessing anything,” says Anwer Dheyaa Mhmood at the start of the online event. When he decided a few years ago that he would like to go to Germany to obtain his master's degree in civil engineering, it was clear for him right from the start that he would need very good language skills to be able to communicate in his new home.

This was why he started to study German on his own in 2020, alongside his full-time job as a project manager. He mostly used free learning materials for this, such as the Deutsche Welle app. “I can really recommend this approach, as I learned not only the language but got an insight into German culture, too,” says Anwer Dheyaa Mhmood. The participants were very impressed that he reached language skills at B2 level within eleven months, thanks to hard and disciplined work and a talent for language learning.

Language is key: independent learning and cultural integration

Anwer Dheyaa Mhmood grew up in Iraq, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree at Diyala University before working for an Iraqi partner company of Siemens in Baghdad for three years. It was by coincidence that he came across the Horizonte programme, a project of the Goethe Institute that is dedicated to establishing contact between German companies and experienced academics from Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. Through this programme, the civil engineer was able to take part in a number of online courses on topics such as “telecommuting”, “intercultural training” and “time and self-management”.

He also took classes in to broaden his language skills to include the professional context. “Taking part in this programme helped me immensely to get closer to my goal to settle down in Germany,” the 28-year-old explains. It also contributed to his decision to postpone his master's degree and get a job right away.

When asked why he chose Germany in particular, he says: “Germany is leading in the construction sector, and many interesting large-scale projects are realised there.”

Looking for a job in Germany: job portals and networks

Searching job portals and LinkedIn, Anwer Dheyaa Mhmood soon came across various job openings. However, it was on a German Facebook group for civil engineers that he ultimately found the most important information. He quickly engaged in lively discussion with others who suggested some available jobs. He was even able to publish the link to his research report that he had prepared based on his bachelor’s thesis. “This was how I was invited to three job interviews,” he says.

His first job took him to an engineering firm in Göttingen. He recalls how his employer helped him a lot at the start. It was through the so-called accelerated procedure that he got both a work permit and a visa. Anwer Dheyaa Mhmood recommends that all civil engineers who need to arrange for recognition of their qualifications themselves should contact the relevant engineering chamber in the federal state in question or the .

The first step was done, but he soon realised that he would not be able to use his expertise on BIM that he had gained during his studies at this engineering firm. BIM is short for Building Information Modelling and is used in large-scale construction projects to optimise planning, design and realisation.

This was why he moved on to Deutsche Bahn in Karlsruhe after seven months. His friend who was already an employee there had recommended him for the job. Anwer Dheyaa Mhmood prepared for this interview very diligently. He sought detailed information about his potential employer’s projects and thought about answers to questions he might be asked. Soon after the interview he was offered the job, and he is glad that he took this step: “I am able to gain worthwhile experience and I have good career prospects,” he says.

Taking up master’s studies in Germany

Anwer Dheyaa Mhmood is very happy with his new life in Germany: he was able to quickly establish himself professionally. In February 2025 he will get his permanent residence permit that will open up a wide range of perspectives for living in Germany for an unlimited time. He does struggle, however, to find a bigger apartment. He currently lives in a studio apartment that he found through the online platform WG-gesucht.

Apart from a little more space, he would also like to have some German friends. His master’s studies that had been his original reason for coming to Germany, and that he would still like to take up soon alongside his job, could be an opportunity for meeting new people. Nevertheless, it is also important for Anwer Dheyaa Mhmood to stay in touch with people in his home country Iraq. He travels back home twice a year and uses all of his annual leave for these visits.