Germany has been experiencing a shortage of professionals across various sectors, creating opportunities for those seeking to train, study, or work in the country.
To address this, we organize career fairs to inform and guide students, graduates, and job seekers about pathways to access the German job market and opportunities in their countries of origin. On 29th November 2024, AG-Career Hub successfully hosted the Digital Career Fair online in collaboration with Mount Kenya University, Mount Kigali University, and German employers and various other organisations. The event attracted over 200 participants from Kenya, Kigali, and beyond, offering them the opportunity to explore pathways for training, studying, and working in Germany and remotely.
Key Note Speeches
The session opened with welcoming remarks from AG-Career Hub, highlighting the vital role career fairs play in connecting job seekers with opportunities and stakeholders in Germany. Drawing from our unique experiences as Kenyans in Germany, we introduced tailored programs to support participants' needs.
Keynote speeches followed, with Dr. Martin Kimemia Gathiru, the Vice Chancellor of Mount Kenya University emphasizing the importance of global academic partnerships in unlocking job and training opportunities abroad. He encouraged participants to leverage digital platforms to connect with global opportunities.
The Kenyan Ambassador to Germany, Her Excellency Stella Orina underscored the transformative power of digital tools in breaking borders, fostering cultural exchange, and creating new opportunities. She praised the event for empowering youth to embrace the digital space's potential and take leadership roles. She also emphasized learning the German language as essential for accessing opportunities in the German market and urged stronger collaboration to enhance language and skills acquisition programs for youth empowerment.
Key Highlights of the Event
1. Nursing Apprenticeship Programme
Prof. Dr. Lebrenz, Project Lead for the SSTEA research project, opened the first session by highlighting opportunities for high school graduates seeking to advance their careers in Germany. Launched in 2022 in collaboration with Hochschule Koblenz, Mount Kenya University, and AG-Career Hub, the project has successfully placed 13 nursing students from Kenya. It aims to address Germany's critical shortage of healthcare professionals by providing participants with a direct pathway to professional nursing training and employment in Germany's healthcare sector.
2. Master’s Degree Courses at OHM Hochschule Nürnberg
Dr.-Ing. Jörg Franke, Senior Advisor for International Affairs & Deputy Head of International Academic Services at OHM Hochschule Nürnberg presented English-taught Master’s degree programs, designed for international students who wish to study in Germany without advanced German language skills. He also discussed undergraduate programs available to those proficient in German, emphasizing the value of education in accessing the German job market.
3. Opportunities in IT – Insights from Netspice
Alexander Ritter, the Managing PartnerManaging Partner, netspice GmbH & Co K.G., shared insights into the growing IT sector, focusing on remote job opportunities. He highlighted the essential skills companies are seeking, such as programming, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, and encouraged participants to upskill in order to meet market demands. netspice is a company dedicated to recruiting IT experts from African countries to work remotely for German businesses
4. The Opportunity Card
A key topic of discussion was the newly introduced Opportunity Card, a law passed in June 2024 to support job seekers relocating to Germany. In collaboration with our partner Fintiba, a provider of blocked accounts, we introduced a Kenyan professional who successfully used the Opportunity Card to relocate to Germany for work, offering practical advice and inspiration for participants considering this route.
5. Scholarship Opportunities
Martin, a scholarship expert, provided an overview of major scholarship programs available to graduates from African countries. He covered scholarship opportunities for Master’s degree programs in Germany, Scholarships for studies in participants' home countries or other African nations. This session provided valuable financial support information for those seeking higher education opportunities.
6. Understanding the Healthcare System in Germany
We concluded the main event with a session on navigating Germany's healthcare system and accessing medical services after relocation. In partnership with BARMER, a German insurance company, Patrick Czarnynoga, Key Account Manager of the International Unit, provided participants with vital information on managing healthcare upon arriving in Germany.
Workshops: Connect with Employers and Kenyan Professionals in Germany
The second part of the career fair featured a series of engaging workshops, where experts shared their unique professional insights.
Dr. Juliet Shali Shambi, Solution Advisor at SAP SuccessFactors HCM, who studied in Germany and later relocated to Kenya, hosted the first workshop. She provided valuable advice on how to succeed in the tech industry, offering practical guidance for those aiming to enter or advance in this field.
Gaby Wasensteiner, the Sr. Brand Manager & Career Expert at LinkedIn, led the second workshop, "Rock Your LinkedIn Profile." This session focused on optimizing LinkedIn profiles for students, graduates, and professionals, emphasizing the growing importance of a digital CV in the job market.
Hillary Bett, currently working in Finance at KWS Group, facilitated the third workshop, exploring careers in finance, controlling, and fintech. Hillary shared insights into diverse opportunities in the finance sector both in Kenya and abroad.
Angella Onsomu, a senior data privacy expert, led the fourth workshop on career pathways in law and data privacy within Germany’s legal landscape, highlighting the increasing importance of data protection and privacy laws.
The second cluster of workshops included:
Allan Onsando, Head of Africa International Tax at WTS Deutschland, presented a session on "Exploring Career Pathways in International Taxation, Law, and Audit." Allan shared insights from his role at WTS, a prominent tax consulting firm in Germany, helping participants understand various career opportunities within international tax and audit.
Joy Wendo, Data Manager at AG-Career Hub and a Software Developer at AgBRAIN GmbH, hosted a workshop on "Essential IT Tools for the Tech Industry in Germany." Joy provided a practical overview of the key IT tools and technologies shaping the German tech landscape, crucial for anyone interested in the field.
For participants already in Germany and looking for employment, Osman Vatenserver, Community Relations Manager at Social Bee, shared information on the training programs offered by Social Bee. These programs help migrants gain access to the German job market by offering valuable resources and support.
Conclusion
The Digital Career Fair provided participants with invaluable insights, practical guidance, and clear pathways for exploring opportunities in training, studying, and working in Germany and beyond. Thanks to the support of our partners, including Mount Kenya University, Mount Kigali University, The Kenyan Embassy in Germany, Hochschule Koblenz, Fintiba, Netspice, LinkedIn, Fintiba, WTS Germany, Barmer Insurance, and the Kenyan Professionals in Germany, the event successfully connected aspiring professionals with actionable opportunities.
We remain dedicated to supporting participants in their academic and career journeys and look forward to continuing this mission through mentorship, tailored programs, and collaborative efforts.