World Class Talent

Meet the Spring 2026 Salesforce Specialists | Copenhagen

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:10:39 GMT

We are pleased to launch our Salesforce Specialist Program in Copenhagen | Spring 2026

Meet the Fall 2025 Salesforce Specialists | Helsinki

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:17:01 GMT

We are pleased to launch our second Salesforce Specialist Program in Helsinki | Fall 2025

Why upskilling is the new hiring

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 07:01:22 GMT

Why upskilling is the new hiring

And what that means for your cloud and AI talent strategy

The pressure to transform digitally is immense. Companies across industries are racing to adopt cloud-first strategies and explore the potential of artificial intelligence, but there’s one persistent bottleneck: talent.

While the need for cloud and AI skills is surging, relying on external hires or expensive consultants isn’t always scalable, or sustainable. Especially when the people you need might already be sitting in your own office.

At Blue Road Academy, we believe that the smartest investment you can make isn’t just in recruitment. It’s in your people. By building internal expertise through practical, in-classroom cloud training, supported by peer learning and tailored to your tech stack, you not only close today’s skills gaps but future-proof your teams for tomorrow’s challenges.

Upskilling is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a business-critical strategy. In this blog, we’ll explore how forward-thinking companies are shifting focus from prioritising hiring externally to developing talent in-house, and how you can build a cloud and AI-ready workforce, without disrupting your operations or blowing your budget.

Because sometimes, the fastest path forward starts with developing the talent you already have.

Why traditional hiring no longer delivers what modern teams need

The world of work is changing faster than ever. Emerging technologies, cloud-first strategies, and the rise of AI are reshaping how businesses operate, and what they need from their people. As digital transformation accelerates, so does the gap between existing capabilities and the skills needed to keep up. According to the World Economic Forum , more than half of all employees will need significant upskilling or reskilling just to stay relevant.

And yet, many organisations still rely on hiring models that were built for a different era.

Recruiting new talent through traditional processes (posting vacancies, sifting through resumes, conducting multiple interview rounds) can take months, cost thousands per hire, and still leave you with a long runway before new team members are fully productive. Meanwhile, your teams are still stretched, and your innovation goals are still on hold.

The issue isn’t just about speed or cost. It’s about fit. Traditional hiring tends to lean on nepotism and favours whilst ignoring relevant credentials and real world experience, but in a world where needed skills change and develop incredibly fast, what really matters is the capacity to learn. The ability to adapt. The drive to grow.

That’s why today’s forward-thinking companies are moving from ‘hire and hope’ to ‘build and grow.’ They’re developing in-house talent through targeted, hands-on upskilling programs, like those at Blue Road Academy. That means that teams are equipped not only for today’s roles, but for tomorrow’s challenges.

Because when you invest in your people, you don’t just fill gaps, you build lasting capability and resilient teams.

Why upskilling has become the smartest way to grow

The pace of innovation in cloud and AI isn’t slowing down, and neither is the pressure on tech teams to keep up. New tools, platforms, and frameworks are launched every month. AI is now capable of generating code, managing infrastructure, and streamlining repetitive workflows, tasks that, until recently, required highly specialised human expertise.

But here’s the reality: no company can afford to hire a new expert for every new tool. Nor should they.

Upskilling offers a more scalable, cost-efficient, and future-proof path forward. Instead of constantly chasing external talent, organisations that invest in developing their people build internal strength that compounds over time. You close today’s skills gaps while preparing your team for what’s next, faster, and with fewer risks.

At Blue Road Academy, we see upskilling not just as a solution to talent shortages, but as a competitive advantage. It nurtures a culture of continuous learning, increases employee retention, and dramatically reduces the risk of mismatched hires. Your people stay engaged, your teams stay relevant, and your organization becomes more resilient to change.

Put simply: the future belongs to those who learn fast. And that starts by investing in the people you already have.

Hiring isn’t dead, it’s evolving

Let’s be clear: upskilling doesn’t mean you’ll never hire again. Nor does it mean AI will replace your workforce overnight. While technology continues to accelerate, people remain essential, especially when it comes to driving innovation, launching new business models, and expanding into fresh markets.

Hiring still plays a vital role in modern workforce strategies. New team members bring energy, perspectives, and capabilities that can spark transformation and unlock new opportunities. When you're growing into a new region or exploring a new solution space, the right hire can be a catalyst.

But the way we hire, and why we hire, is changing.

Smart organisations no longer treat hiring and upskilling as separate strategies. They integrate them. Upskilling builds internal strength, sharpens team capabilities, and helps you retain talent. It also makes hiring more strategic. Instead of constantly chasing external skills, you hire with intention, complementing what your teams already have, not filling gaps caused by underinvestment in learning.

At Blue Road Academy, we believe the future of work is built on balance: combining thoughtful hiring with continuous in-house development. It’s not about choosing between learning and recruiting, it’s about making them work together to build resilient, future-ready teams.

Because in a fast-changing world, your ability to grow starts with your ability to learn.

From skills gaps to growth: The Blue Road Academy approach to upskilling

In a world where technology evolves faster than job titles can keep up, upskilling isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a business imperative. It’s how you empower your people, strengthen your teams, and stay ahead in the age of cloud and AI.

At Blue Road Academy, we help organisations turn learning into lasting impact. Our approach is designed for companies that want to build real capability, not just check boxes. Here’s how we do it:

Practical, hands-on learning

Our programs are built around real-world needs. No fluff, no theory without context, just actionable skills your team can use immediately in the workplace.

Cloud-first training tracks

We specialise in upskilling for leading platforms like AWS, Salesforce, and ServiceNow. Whether your team needs to deepen its cloud fluency or prepare for certification, we tailor learning to your tech stack.

End-to-end support

Training doesn’t stop at the classroom door. We offer wraparound coaching, career development, and progress tracking to ensure long-term impact, for your people and your business.

At Blue Road Academy, we don’t just close skill gaps. We help you build future-ready teams from within, faster, more sustainably, and with measurable ROI.

Ready to upskill?

Let’s explore how we can help you upskill with purpose, and results. Get in touch to learn more.

Meet the Spring 2025 Salesforce Specialists | Amsterdam

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 12:36:22 GMT

We are pleased to launch our latest Salesforce Specialist Program in Amsterdam | Spring 2025

Spring is here and our Amsterdam program is live! Our intensive, comprehensive program is for highly motivated and talented newcomer participants. During the first phase of the Salesforce Specialist Program, participants will follow 2 months of classroom-based technical training sessions covering many features, clouds, and core functionality of Salesforce, plus scenarios, team exercises, and best practices with over 100 hours of classroom training and 60 hours of self-paced learning.

During the second Phase of the Salesforce Specialist Program, participants will follow our Career Training and Job Readiness program which prepares them with the soft skills and market understanding to pursue a career in tech. They are also paired 1-on-1 with a Salesforce Mentors to help them plan their path into the ecosystem and focus on their career path.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

G et in touch

Roberta

Roberta is Portuguese, originally from Brazil, and boldly moved to the Netherlands in 2006 with a background in sales and marketing. She has developed her expertise in global procurement and supply chain in the Netherlands for almost 15 years, making significant contributions to organizations such as The Global Fund and Doctors Without Borders. After a nearly three-year break, Roberta is excited to begin a new and promising chapter in Salesforce and become a business analyst or consultant. Roberta is naturally curious, highly motivated, and determined to achieve her goals. In my free time, I am an avid global news consumer and an expert-level Sudoku player.

Nurges

Nurges is originally from Afghanistan, but grew up in England, UK and since 2019, she has been living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Nurges graduated from the University of Lincoln in the UK with a Bachelor's degree in Business Studies, and she has worked as a Teaching Assistant, Sales Assistant, and Assistant Manager. She is excited to learn Salesforce because it is a powerful tool that helps businesses manage their customer relationships more effectively. In her free time, Nurges enjoys spending time with her family and her daughter. She also likes watching documentaries, jogging, cooking, and baking.

Ceyda

Ceyda is originally from Turkey and has been living in the Netherlands for almost 3 years. She has a background in IT and has worked as a Business Analyst. She is excited to learn Salesforce because she wants to build a new career in tech and help businesses use smart tools more effectively. Ceyda is looking forward to learning together and connecting with others here. In her free time, Ceyda enjoys spending time with her family, doing yoga, going for walks, and watching TV series.

Swetha

Swetha is originally from India and currently living in Almere. She has been in the Netherlands for 4 years and has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science Engineering. Swetha started learning Salesforce Admin on her own in 2021, but had to take a break for personal reasons and spent some time exploring Graphic Design. Now, she is excited to pick up Salesforce again after 3 years and explore new opportunities in the tech field. Swetha is looking forward to learning, growing in a professional environment, and meeting new people along the way. In her free time, Swetha enjoys listening to music, practicing yoga, and exploring classical music. She has also recently started learning Dutch!

Temitayo

Temitayo is originally from Nigeria, and has been living in the Netherlands for over 10 years. She has a background in communication and media, and is excited to start learning Salesforce, as she’s always wanted to transition into the tech space. From this community, Temitayo hopes to find allies and accountability partners to excel through the program and build professional relationships that go beyond Blue Road Academy. In her free time, Temitayo enjoys spending time with my 4-year-old — they’re always up to something! Lately, she and her daughter have been learning chess together, and they love reading and playing a lot.

Peter

Peter is half Kenyan, half Ugandan who is now living in the Netherlands. Peter has a background in business development and entrepreneurship, and is a graduate of UvA’s Business School. He is now taking a leap of faith into the tech world, and he is curious about CRM in marketing and sales as part of biz dev. In his free time, you’ll find Peter somewhere dancing to techno, jogging or reading in a public library.

Oguz

Oguz is originally from Turkey and has been living in the Netherlands for 4 years. He has a background in business analysis and consultancy and is excited to learn Salesforce because he enjoys engaging with business problems and improving processes. He also knows that Salesforce offers great opportunities for companies in this field. Through this community, Oguz hopes to build a strong network and gain more knowledge about Salesforce. In his free time, Oguz enjoys playing with his lovely cat (yes he is an animal lover!), spending time with his friends, and loves discovering new cities with my wife.

Asem

Asem is originally from Syria and has been living in the Netherlands for 3 years and 4 months. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering, specializing in Geotechnical Engineering. Asem is excited to dive into Salesforce because he loves analyzing data.

Diana

Diana Castaño is originally from Colombia and has been living in the Netherlands for 8 years. She has a background in business administration and consultancy and is excited to learn Salesforce because she wants to expand her knowledge. From this community, Diana hopes to connect with amazing people, grow her knowledge a lot, and have fun while doing it. In her free time, Diana enjoys doing sports, being with friends or family, travelling and enjoys the sun in the park (When it is possible!).

Sakhr

Sakhr is originally from Yemen and he has been living in the Netherlands for 3 years. He graduated with a degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from AAST in Cairo. Sakhr is really excited to learn Salesforce because he found a connection between the Salesforce system and his academic background in logistics. He believes this knowledge will help him a lot in his future career, especially in managing processes and improving efficiency in supply chain operations. From this community, Sakhr hopes to find support, advice, and people to share the learning journey with. In his free time, Sakhr enjoys reading , horse riding , and spending time with his family.

Freweyni

Freweyni has lived in the Netherlands for four years. Her background is in environmental science and data engineering and the main reason she is joining Salesforce is to develop her skills in data science related to the basic concept of business analysis related to customers. Freweyni is passionate about using tech-driven solutions to create a positive impact, and she is eager to combine her analytical skills with CRM expertise to help businesses grow and connect with their clients more effectively. She hopes she will gain some knowledge of Salesforce to join a real-world job. Outside work, Freweyni enjoys exploring new cultures, staying connected with nature, and constantly learning new things.

Meet the Winter 2025 Salesforce Specialists | Helsinki

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:55:28 GMT

We are pleased to launch our first ever Salesforce Specialist Program in Helsinki | Winter 2025

Meet the Fall Salesforce Specialists 2024 | Copenhagen

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 10:38:05 GMT

We are pleased to launch our Salesforce Specialist Program in Copenhagen | Fall 2024

Meet the Fall Salesforce Specialists 2024 | Den Haag

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 10:31:06 GMT

We are pleased to launch our first ever Salesforce Specialist Program in Den Haag | Fall 2024

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

G et in touch

Eyoel

I hold a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Unity University, earned in 2017, and have 10 years of work experience in the field. Alongside that, I obtained a web design certificate from ASKV and am currently completing cybersecurity courses on Coursera. I am passionate about technology, particularly programming, and aim to become a Salesforce Architect in the future. In my free time, I enjoy running marathons, playing table tennis, and reading true story books.

Pooja

I am Pooja, a dedicated mother of three and a professional with a diverse background. We moved from India to the Netherlands two years back. I hold a master's degree in computer applications, and recently became the Certified Salesforce Administrator. As I embark on this new chapter in The Netherlands, I am excited to explore opportunities that allow me to blend my expertise with my passion for technology, particularly in the realm of Salesforce administration.

Reham

My name is Reham and I was born and raised in Sana’a, Yemen, where I completed my primary and high school education. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from the Faculty of Engineering at the Lebanese International University in 2018. After leaving Yemen in 2019, I pursued a master’s degree at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Doha, Qatar, within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), majoring in Digital Humanities and Social Sciences.

Lina

Hello! I'm Lina, and I'm from Ukraine. I have been living in Utrecht for 2 years. I arrived with my sister, her son, and our 2 fluffy cats. I earned my bachelor's degree in psychology of Berdyansk State Pedagogical University in 2012. Throughout my career, I have developed strong problem-solving skills and a commitment to helping others, particularly through my experience as an educator. While teaching at a kindergarten in Ukraine, I planned, organized, and implemented educational activities, which honed my ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and effectively. I aim to work in AI and enjoy exploring new technologies, acquiring new skills, and learning about our world. I love reading, traveling, and meeting new people.

Eslam

My educational journey has given me a deep appreciation for language, communication, and cultural understanding. Now, I am shifting my focus towards the tech industry, specifically in Salesforce. I am passionate about leveraging Salesforce’s powerful CRM tools to help businesses optimize their operations and enhance customer engagement. With my strong analytical and communication skills from my language studies, I am eager to apply them in a new context—technology and business. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead as I embark on this new career path and look forward to contributing to the world of Salesforce through continuous learning and application.

Nduka

I'm Nduka from Nigeria. I've been living in the Netherlands for a few years now, and I'm excited to learn Salesforce as a new skill to enhance my career. With a background in the oil and gas industry, I've had a diverse range of experiences in project controls, instrumentation and HR. I started looking into IT because I wanted to take my career in a different direction. I'm looking forward to connecting with others in the community who share similar interests and goals. In my free time, I enjoy learning new things and exploring Dutch culture. I'm hoping to get advice and support from the community on my Salesforce journey, as well as connect with others who can provide valuable insights and networking opportunities.

Sindhuja

Hi, I'm Sindhuja (pronounced Sin-doo-jah), and I’m originally from India, where I graduated with a degree in Information Technology. After getting married, I moved to the Netherlands and chose to take a break from my career to raise my child. During this time, I discovered my passion for Salesforce and began learning about it independently. I’ve been fortunate to work with several nonprofit organizations, helping them set up Salesforce and create applications that meet their needs. This experience has allowed me to combine my technical skills with a desire to make a positive impact in the community.

Tetiana

Hello everyone! My name is Tetyana. I am from Ukraine. I have been leaving in the Netherlands Den Haag for 2.5 years, together with my 14-year-old son. I studied at the Kyiv Clavik University master degree, majoring in business economics and financial analysis. I worked for a long time in a bank. My last job in Omio.com on position as Fraud and payment specialist. I am glad to study at Blue Road Academy. I sincerely believe in the prospects and opportunities that this project provides.

Abdulkhaleq

I hold a master’s degree in computer network engineering and have over five years of experience in drop services, including websites, applications, and physical products. I’ve completed a range of online and in-person courses, building skills in personal branding, product selection, analytics, e-commerce, and social media. With a strong passion for digital marketing and e-commerce, I focus on creating effective strategies to grow digital businesses and bring valuable ideas to life.

Aparna

Hello, I am Aparna from India, currently residing in Den Haag. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication, along with a Diploma in Programming Languages. My professional background includes experience as a Microsoft SharePoint Developer.After relocating to the Netherlands, I encountered challenges in finding a role in my field, which led to a temporary career break. This period inspired me to explore the Salesforce domain, a field that not only aligns with my interest in learning new technologies but also offers significant potential across Europe. In addition to my professional endeavours, I’m a friendly and outgoing person who loves keeping up with the latest fashion trends. Since moving to the Netherlands, I’ve picked up cycling as a new hobby and really enjoy exploring the area on two wheels.

Mohammed

I am Mohammed, originally from Yemen. I graduated from King Saud University as a master in geophysics. I love to dig and solve problems with modern technology. By creating, scaling, and optimizing good solutions.To accomplish this, I focus on key results, build an amazing solution, and quickly adapt to new insights. I've been living in the Netherlands for 4 years. I'm excited to learn Salesforce and find my future career. I hope to get more knowledge about Salesforce in this community.

Meet the Summer Salesforce Specialists 2024 | Rotterdam

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:13:55 GMT

We are pleased to launch our first ever Salesforce Specialist Program in Rotterdam starting August 2024

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

G et in touch

Abdurrahman, Turkish

Has a background in physics, data science, and AI. Is excited to learn Salesforce to enhance his skills and explore new career opportunities in the tech industry. Aims to gain insights, support, and networking opportunities from the community to succeed in mastering Salesforce. Enjoys volunteering, exploring new technologies, and spending time with his family in his free time.

Ali, Yemeni

Holds a background in Chinese business and import and export fashion. Has been living in the Netherlands for almost five years. Is excited to learn Salesforce to improve business management of sales, customer relationships, and marketing. Aims to enhance his skills and open up new job opportunities. Enjoys playing video games with his brother Naef and spending time with his growing family.

Naef, Yemeni

Holds a background in business with a focus on fashion and the Chinese market. Is eager to use his newly acquired Salesforce skills to improve sales, marketing and customer relationships within organizations . Excited to enhance his skills and open up new job opportunities. Enjoys watching Japanese movies and gaming with his brother, Ali, in his free time.

Imed, Tunisian

Holds a background in Computer Science and has worked in IT for several years. Has been living in the Netherlands for one and a half years. Eager to learn Salesforce, recognizing its potential to revolutionize customer relationship management and modernize business operations. Enthusiastic about leveraging Salesforce's dynamic platform to create innovative solutions and advance a career in cloud computing. Enjoys playing football, learning about various cultures, and exploring nature in his free time.

Faranak, Iranian

Has a background in sales management and has expertise honing client relationships and crafting initiatives across diverse industries, including tourism and digital advertising. Eager to expand her career, she is enthusiastic about exploring opportunities in Salesforce, aiming to leverage her skills as a Salesforce Administrator, Business Analyst, or Consultant.

Fuat, Turkish

Has a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics Education from Boğaziçi University in Turkey. Has developed strong communication skills that help him build great relationships with clients and team members. Is passionate about using his Salesforce knowledge to boost business growth and innovation. Is eager to use his mix of educational background, IT skills, and Salesforce fundamentals to contribute to the Salesforce and greater tech ecosystem.

Nuray, Turkish

Studied education in Turkey. She has lived in The Netherlands for over 5 years. She aims to deepen her knowledge and harness its potential to drive business innovation and enhance operational efficiency. She is eager to learn more about the dynamic world of Salesforce and make a significant impact in her new career path in The Netherlands.

Hamid, Eritrean

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India. Has been living in the Netherlands for almost four and a half years. Has 11 years of experience working as a capability manager, sales assist analyst, handheld admin, and sales admin with a multinational company. Is excited to learn Salesforce as it aligns with his previous work experience and helps bridge the gap experienced while settling in the Netherlands.

Mecheale, Ethiopian

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering. He has been residing in the Netherlands for the past 2.5 years. Professionally, has developed valuable experience as a network marketer and in performing both technical and fundamental analysis of financial markets. Is eager to leverage his diverse skills and experience to make a meaningful impact in the Salesforce ecosystem.

Hasan, Yemeni

Holds a degree in Public Administration and has ten years of experience working at an oil company in Yemen. Has been living in the Netherlands since 2021. Is excited to learn Salesforce to enhance his career in a new field. Enjoys bike riding in his free time. Looking forward to connecting with the Salesforce community and gaining new insights and opportunities.

Meet the Summer Salesforce Specialists 2024 | Utrecht

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:06:44 GMT

We are pleased to launch the Summer Salesforce Specialist Utrecht Program starting July 2024

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

Get in touch

Divyani, Indian

Originally from India, pursued her education there before moving to the Netherlands in 2021. During her experience as a Tech Recruitershe she developed a keen interest in Salesforce as the world increasingly leans towards technology. Aspires to become a Salesforce Admin. In her free time, she is a tea lover and enjoys relaxing at home.

Mohamed Amine, Algerian

Holds a Master's degree in Civil Engineering and has been living in the Netherlands for almost three years, originally from Algeria. Passionate about IT and excited to be part of this program to further explore the field. Enthusiastic about the intersection of technology and engineering, seeking to leverage new skills for innovative solutions. A sports and food lover who enjoys staying active and exploring culinary delights in free time.

Dawit, Ethiopian

Holds a professional background in pharmacy and has been living in Zwolle, Netherlands, for three and a half years, originally from Eritrea. Eager to learn Salesforce due to its innovative and solution-oriented approach. Aspires to gain inspiration, tips, and information about events from the community. Committed to personal and professional growth through learning and engagement

Gulsen, Turkish

Originally from Turkey, studied English in the Philippines, and lived in Poland for several years before moving to Amsterdam with family. Holds extensive experience as a freelance website designer and English teacher. Possesses experience in working on Salesforce platform projects, including application development, workflow customization, and third-party software integration. Committed to leveraging technical skills to deliver tailored solutions and drive innovation.

Erfan, Egyptian

Holds a background in sales, tourism, and import & export, with a degree in law. Originally from Egypt and has been living in the Netherlands for three years. Excited to learn Salesforce due to extensive experience in business and sales, recognizing its potential to drive unique business opportunities and achieve better sales results. Enjoys going out, watching documentaries, cooking, eating, and participating in sports during free time.

Ruba, Syrian

Holds a degree in Information Technology Engineering from Damascus University and has resided in the Netherlands for 6 years. Brings a strong background in IT, having studied Software Engineering in Syria. Recognizes that mastering Salesforce will provide in-demand skills essential for advancing a career in the Netherlands. Committed to utilizing Salesforce to Salesforce to enhance career prospects and contribute effectively to the tech community.

Rajlaxmi, Indian

Holds a degree in Pharmacy and has over 5 years of experience in the Life Science domain. Originally from India and currently residing in Utrecht since 2022. Passionate about traveling and exploring new places, with a love for trying new cuisines as an avid foodie. Committed to personal and professional growth, always eager to embrace new experiences and opportunities.

Mohammed, Yemeni

Holds a degree in Information Systems from MUST University. Worked for Bureau Veritas in Yemen as a data entry and coordinator for four years and later as an IT specialist from 2011 to 2015. Has lived in the Netherlands for five years. Is eager to upgrade his technical skills by learning Salesforce to secure exciting new employment opportunities.

Dmitrii, Russian

Originally from Far East Russia but born and educated in Ukraine. Combines a creative background with experience in hospitality, having worked as a graphic designer and photographer. Eager to continue a creative career path in the Netherlands, bringing passion and pleasure to the work. Enjoys spending free time on social media, listening to electronic music like trance and techno, reading self-development books, and traveling.

Oleg, Russian

Has over three years of experience in Amsterdam and a lifelong career in the fashion industry, spanning retail, creative, and educational roles. Has experience in inventory management, recruitment, and comprehensive training. He is eager to explore a career path in tech and is ready to apply his extensive experience to new opportunities.

SalesforceBen: Getting to Know Blue Road Academy

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 18:39:40 GMT

Salesforce is a collaborative and supportive community, with everyone willing to help others get a step up in the ecosystem. This is the spirit that Gaspar Rodriguez, Nick Broekema, and Marielle Schweickart wanted to capture when they founded Blue Road Academy (formerly RefugeeForce ) in 2018 – to help un- and under-employed refugees in the Netherlands secure a Salesforce role.

Now they have expanded all over Europe, but they still have the same goal: to change the perceptions of employers, organizations, and the general public in terms of the experience and skills that newcomers can bring as they build new lives in their host countries...

Read the full post :

https://www.salesforceben.com/getting-to-know-blue-road-academy-formerly-refugeeforce/

Blue Road Academy becomes a ServiceNow NextGen EMEA Partner

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 09:33:20 GMT

Blue Road Academy becomes a ServiceNow NextGen EMEA Partner to launch the careers of hundreds of newcomers and refugees.

Amsterdam, February 2024 - Blue Road Academy, a mission-driven social enterprise committed to advancing the careers of newcomers in the tech sector, is thrilled to announce the expansion of its training programs to include the ServiceNow NextGen Professionals Program. With a focus on providing accessible and world-class learning opportunities, Blue Road Academy's new program trajectory aims to equip newcomers and refugees from diverse backgrounds with the skills, network, and knowledge needed to thrive in the tech sector.

As a leader in professional development and technical training, Blue Road Academy recognizes the transformative power of low-code and no-code platforms to drive successful careers in tech. Through the ServiceNow NextGen program, Blue Road Academy will bring its years of experience and program management to pave the way for newcomers to enter and excel as ServiceNow professionals.

"At Blue Road Academy, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue a fulfilling career in tech," said Gaspar Rodriguez, Co-Founder & CEO of Blue Road Academy. "By bringing the NextGen Professionals program to our communities, we are not only offering in-demand technical skills but also providing a new pathway towards rewarding employment for newcomers.”

Key highlights of the ServiceNow NextGen professionals program include:

Driving Change: NextGen is shaping the future by opening doors for everyone. They dismantle conventional barriers to the ServiceNow job landscape, equipping individuals with tomorrow's essential skills

Championing Diversity: With a spotlight on racial and gender equity, ServiceNow stands firm against generational poverty, ensuring opportunities for often underrepresented talent.

Accessible Learning Opportunities: Dive into ServiceNow’s comprehensive offerings, from in-depth technical training and career skill development to immersive hands-on projects.

Fully Online, Fully Engaging: The NextGen Hybrid Learning Program is meticulously designed for the digital age.

As a NextGen EMEA Partner, Blue Road Academy will provide career development, including resume assistance, interview preparation, and networking opportunities, to help program participants succeed in their job search and beyond. Blue Road Academy also offers a supportive and inclusive learning community where participants can connect with peers, mentors, and industry professionals to share knowledge, insights, and experiences.

By offering a mission-driven approach to tech education, Blue Road Academy and ServiceNow are empowering newcomers to build successful and meaningful careers in the digital age, while also contributing to a more diverse and inclusive tech workforce.

For more information about Blue Road Academy's ServiceNow training program and to join the mission of empowering newcomers in tech, please visit www.blueroadacademy.com .

About Blue Road Academy:

Blue Road Academy is a social enterprise dedicated to advancing the careers of newcomers in the tech industry. Through innovative training programs, supportive resources, and community building initiatives, Blue Road Academy provides accessible learning opportunities for newcomers to thrive in the digital sector.

About ServiceNow

ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) makes the world work better for everyone. ServiceNow’s cloud‑based platform and solutions help digitize and unify organizations so that they can find smarter, faster, better ways to make work flow. The world works with ServiceNow™. For more information, visit: www.servicenow.com .

For media inquiries, please contact hello@blueroadacademy.com .

Meet the Utrecht Winter 2024 Class

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 15:47:33 GMT

We are pleased to launched our first ever Utrecht program. Meet the Winter 2024 Class.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

Get in touch

Ahmed, Syrian

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from Damascus University, Syria. Completed several courses in sociology and cultural difference. Has 8 years of experience working as a home decor designer in woodworking. Is interested in software development and aims to land a role as a Salesforce marketing and consulting. Has strong communication, troubleshooting, problem-solving and decision making skills. has the ability to work in challenging and changing conditions.

Emre, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering from Marmara University, Istanbul. Has 11 years of experience in the Digital Marketing Sector. Exhibits strong skills in adaptability, punctuality, and communication, with a steadfast commitment to continuous learning. Additionally, demonstrates a keen interest and knowledge in HTML, JavaScript, Apex, and LWC. Aims to secure a position as a Salesforce Developer

Erdi, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from National Defence University in Turkey, with over 6 years being a Sergeant in the Air Force in Administrative & Logistic operations and around 3 years in sales and marketing. Ambitious and disciplined sales professional with experience in e-commerce and digital marketing. Possessing strong communication and leadership abilities. Having finished a Netherlands-based entrepreneurship program. Committed to personal and professional growth with a strong work ethic.

Faruk, Turkish

As a results-driven professional with a Bachelor's Degree from the Police Academy, offers a background in Low-Code Development, customer service and office management. Leveraging 5 years of experience in law enforcement, transitioned to the Business & ICT field, specializing in Lowcode Application Development & data driven areas. An enthusiastic team player, well-versed in Agile methodology, aims to bridge the gap between business and ICT in large organizations.

Mariia, Ukrainian

Holds a Degree in Journalism from Kyiv-Mohyla University, Ukraine. Passionate about technology, business and traveling. Has 8+ years of experience working as a marketing copywriter. Strong communication skills and highly interested in becoming a Salesforce expert.

Ifeoluwa, Nigerian

Holds a background in Veterinary medicine from Nigeria and a Master's in biomedical science from Utrecht University. Good communicator, quite adaptable to new challenges, can work collaboratively with other individuals and also has a strong analytical background with experience in R programming. Interested in exploring the Salesforce environment first as a Salesforce administrator but open to discovering other challenging paths within the ecosystem.

Natalia, Ukrainian

Having pursued both a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Accounting and Audit at Mykolayiv State Agrarian University. Has work experience as a Payroll Accountant at Numpa Company from August 2001 to May 2004, and subsequently at Agroexport Ug from June 2004 to July 2005. Serving as an Administrative Employee in Mykolayiv, Ukraine, from 2006 to 2022, has demonstrated a commitment to administrative duties. Volunteered at Wiekslag Smitsveen from 2023 to 2024. With industry interests spanning Financial, Education, and IT sectors, possesses soft skills such as being communicative, patient, service-oriented, and a team player, making them a well-rounded professional in the field of accounting and administration.

Oleh, Ukrainian

Has over five years of commercial experience, with expertise in IT, customer relations, and management. Completed a variety of professional certifications and skills enhancements. Familiar with Scrum methodology. Demonstrates attention to detail and produces effective, well-structured solutions for customer needs. Collaborative team player with strong communication and time-management skills has a passion for new technologies. Eager to pursue a career in the Salesforce ecosystem, and deliver efficient solutions for clients using state-of-the-art Salesforce technologies.

Salah, Yemeni

Holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting from Taiz University in Yemen, with nine years of experience in taxation at the Sana'a Tax Authority in Yemen. Additionally, Has five years of experience in procurement and warehouse management at Y Telecom company in Sana'a Yemen. Possesses strong analytical skills, attention to detail, quick learning ability, and adaptability. Has also skills in Microsoft Excel, powerpoint,ERP and Exact boekhouding software. Interested in becoming a Salesforce expert. Eager to take on challenges, explore different opportunities, and willing to try new things.

Meet the Amsterdam Winter 2024 Class

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 13:49:20 GMT

Say Hello to the Winter Amsterdam Salesforce Specialist 2024 Class!

We are thrilled to be back in Amsterdam for our first program of 2024!

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

Get in touch

Olena B., Ukraine

A dedicated and diligent individual with a strong educational background and professional experience. Holds master's diplomas in International Economic Relations, International Business (Marketing), Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University, Accounting and Audit, Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University. Having also obtained certifications in Web Development and Data Analysis. Has worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Auditor's Office of Ukraine. Additionally, devoted time to voluntary work in Ukrainian foundations and charity organizations, specifically assisting the Ukrainian army forces. Currently, interested in working in a company like Deloitte and Ernst & Young, where analytical skills in the audit field can be applicable. In addition to technical abilities, possessing a range of soft skills, including teamwork, time management, and a strong motivation to continuously learn and improve. Always open to embracing new technologies

Omar, Yemeni

Possessing a Master's degree (MBA) from Sikkim Manipal University. Has accumulated valuable professional experience as a Corporate Sales Manager at Ejada United Company for Recruitment over a span of four years. Has undertaken diverse responsibilities, including setting monthly sales targets, monitoring recruitment requests for both B2B and B2C segments, managing a call center to handle inbound and outbound calls, and tracking client complaints to ensure resolution and satisfaction. With a keen interest in administration solutions, functional consulting, productivity improvement, and establishing strong working relationships. Is adept at developing and implementing business strategies and encompassing the ability to work with cross-functional teams, negotiate and influence.

Mohamed , Egyptian

Holds a Master's degree from the National Technical University of Ukraine "KPI" in the Management and Marketing department. With more than 10 years in marketing for Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and over 5 years as a Project Manager/Scrum Master in the Information Technology (IT) industry. Is interested in a variety of industries, including IT, the Social domain, and FMCG, showcasing a broad professional perspective. Recognized for personal qualities like openness, positive thinking, curiosity, communication, teamwork, leadership, and flexibility. Is a versatile professional making valuable contributions in both marketing and IT.

Dovrangeldi, Turkmen

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico(UNAM) in Mexico. Completed Salesforce bootcamp successfully at SoftInnovas, a prominent company in the USA. Accumulated over a year of valuable experience at SoftInnovas as a Salesforce Mentor/CoInstructor. Collaborated on various projects to improve skills in Salesforce administration and development. Passionate about coding in Apex. Holds two Salesforce certifications - Administrator and Platform I developer. Aims to land a role as a Salesforce Developer. Has strong communication, problem solving and collaboration skills, quick to adapt to new challenges and demonstrated leadership by guiding and mentoring colleagues to achieve their best potential.

Sergei

Graduated with a degree in Graphic Design from Minin Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University. Has ventured into a dynamic career path within the IT industry with roles as a moderator and customer support manager at Yandex. Gained valuable experiences in the tech sector. Improved skills as a UX designer at DTT Amsterdam, contributing to user-centered design processes. Demonstrating an aptitude for swift adaptation to new information, consistently pursuing opportunities for knowledge acquisition.

Johnathan, American

Holds a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. Graduated in 2010 from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. Received certification as a web developer in 2023 from Le Wagon Amsterdam. Began a professional career working as a graphic designer in 2012 at Stuller Inc. Began teaching elementary and high school art classes from 2012 to 2019. First teaching in Louisiana for the PACE program and then in Shanghai, China for the Shanghai International Studies University. In 2023 career shifted to focus on technology. In 2023 became a teacher's assistant for Le Wagon Amsterdam. Finding a way of helping others and bringing people together through technology is a big motivator. Strong interest in working with E-commerce, Education, or Medical companies.

Olena P., Ukraine

Holds a Master's degree from the National Technical University of Ukraine "KPI" in the Management and Marketing department. Has 10+ of experience working in marketing for Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and 5+ years as a Project Manager/Scrum Master in the Information Technology (IT) industry. Is interested in a variety of industries, including IT, the Social domain, and FMCG, showcasing a broad professional perspective. Has qualities like openness, positive thinking, curiosity, communication, teamwork, leadership, and flexibility. Is a versatile professional making valuable contributions in both marketing and IT.

Merve, Turkish

Holds a BSc. in Nutrition and Dietetics from the Baskent University in Turkey and currently pursuing an online Master's program in Software Engineering at Izmir Katip Celebi University. Has volunteering experience for the treatment of children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and has worked experience on social media (instagram) by sharing the children's stories in 2022. Has interest in Information Technologies, reflecting their commitment to expanding their skill set. Is enthusiastic in learning new things, adept problem-solving abilities, strong communication skills, and a passion for dancing and language learning and possesses a dynamic set of soft skills that contribute to their diverse and evolving professional profile.

Amr, Egyptian

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Management Information Systems from Abo-Qir High Institute, Alexandria-Egypt. Hold a JavaScript Certificate from Codecademy and have more than basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Browsers. Has 8+ years of experience working as an Assistant Clinic Manager at Plastic Surgery Clinic. Also has 2+ years of experience working as a live show performer in different cities in the Netherlands in ‘Hoe ik talent voor het leven kreeg’ play with WatWeDone and ICK Dance Amsterdam. Is excellent at attention to detail, analytical thinking, and well-organized. Is interested in software development and data analysis. Eager to take on challenges and explore different opportunities.

Amer, Yemeni

Holds aBachelor of Science in engineering degree majoring in Electrical Communications and minoring in Network Administration and Security from Sana'a University, Yemen. Worked as an Assistant Program Manager then a Program Coordinator at Yemeni Organization for Development and Exchange Technologies (YODET); participated in regional events, namely: Middle East and Adjoining Countries School of Internet Governance, Cairo 2018, and Middle East Network Operators Group, Beirut 2019. A problem solver, team leader, and people person who aims at acquiring a rewarding position at a well-known technical company with proper monitoring and guidance.

Youssef, Syrian

Graduating with a degree in Graphic Design from Minin Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University. Has ventured into a dynamic career path within the IT industry. With roles as a moderator and customer support manager at Yandex, has gained valuable experiences in the tech sector. Showcased skills as a UX designer at DTT Amsterdam, actively contributing to user-centered design processes. Known for a rapid adaptation to new information, consistently seeks opportunities for knowledge acquisition, demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning in the ever-evolving field of technology.

Meet the Fall Amsterdam Women's Only 2023 Class

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 09:21:48 GMT

We are pleased to announce our first ever

Women's Only program in Amsterdam ��‍��

Why are we having a Women's Only Program?

Only 18% of tech workers in The Netherlands are women. Supporting Women with a migration background is one of four target groups with the least job prospects in The Netherlands, making it a top priority for local and national government. As part of our mission, one of our top 3 targets is reaching a 50/50 program gender ratio. We believe bringing more women into tech is key to our mission of creating a more diverse, inclusive, and integrated community of technical professionals.

What will this Program provide?

Our intensive program is for highly motivated and talented newcomer participants. The program includes 20 classroom-based technical training sessions covering all aspects of the Salesforce Associate & Administrator Exams, plus scenarios, team exercises, and best practices with over 100 hours of classroom training. It also includes Career Training sessions delivered by Salesforce professionals. Participants are paired 1-on-1 with Salesforce employees as mentors to help them plan their path into the ecosystem and focus on their career path.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?
Get in touch

Hanna, Belarus

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from Minsk State Higher Radioengineering College, Belarus. Has 8+ years of experience working IT, specialized in SEO and Quality Assurance. Highly motivated to pursue a career as a Salesforce Administrator within the IT industry. Is very organized, curious, and energetic. Has an eye for detail and places users at the center of the process. Is a team player with a strong sense of ownership, focused on delivering outstanding results.

Jinna, Colombian

Has 15+ years of experience in the hospitality industry as a Latin American chef, restaurant owner and commercial advisor. Worked on various impact projects for Colombian people where she aimed to create structural unity, dismantling the harms of society. Is interested in the sales and hospitality industries. Is creative, determined to make a change, an excellent team player and is passionate about her career.

Nesibe, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor's Degree from Ankara University, Faculty of Law, and the Faculty of Communication (Journalism), Turkey. Is an experienced attorney with a passion for technology. Is eager to join, adapt, and contribute to the dynamic Salesforce industry. Has a strong interest in communications, marketing, media, and finance. Is patient, hard-working, determined, and has a keen attention to detail, along with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Salma, Syrian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences, Aleppo University. Has 2+ years of experience working as a capacity building officer at Baytna, an organization that strives to empower Syrian civil society and build a better future. Is interested in project management and development. Has excellent communication skills and strives to create a good working environment. She’s very accurate in her work and working independently is her greatest strength.

Thuraya, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. Has experience working as a manager at Ebhar Foundation for Childhood and Creativity. Volunteered at Tawakkol Karman Foundation, an organization that works in development and peace-building. Has experience working in the Netherlands in data entry at Go2UBL in Beverwijk. Is interested in the insurance industry.

Wahbia, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from the Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon. Completed several courses in marketing. Has 7+ years of experience as an interior designer on a wide range of projects, both residential and commercial spaces. Has a strong understanding of design and marketing principles. Is interested in design, marketing, customer service, and project management. Has excellent communication skills, is dedicated to customer satisfaction, aims to deliver quality work, and is results oriented.

Yordanos, Ethiopian

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing Management from Admas University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Was a successful business owner attending international expos, has 2+ years of experience as a sales supervisor in BGI Ethiopia (brewery and beverage production. Also has work experience in the Netherlands managing Italian restaurant Da Filippo in Amsterdam and working as a warehouse assistant for Vi Europe Logistics. Has volunteering experience with Mekedonia Humanitarian Association with various underprivileged communities. Is dedicated to a career in tech and aims to become a Salesforce Administrator. Is very sociable, flexible, professional, has a positive mindset and a great work ethic.

Meet the Fall Groningen 2023 Class

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 12:29:11 GMT

Say Hello to the Fall Groningen 2023 Class ��

We are thrilled to be back in Groningen for the Fall '23 program!

Our intensive program is for highly motivated and talented newcomer participants. The program includes 20 classroom-based technical training sessions covering all aspects of the Salesforce Associate & Administrator Exam, plus scenarios, team exercises, and best practices with over 100 hours of classroom training. It also includes Career Training sessions delivered by Salesforce professionals. Participants are paired 1-on-1 with Salesforce employees as mentors to help them plan their path into the ecosystem and focus on their career path.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

Get in touch

Ali, Syrian

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Alexandria, Egypt. Also studied three years of Mechanical Engineering at Teshreen University, Lattakia, Syria. Has experience as an IT support specialist at a prominent international school in Qatar, and as an ICT teacher for students with hearing impairments and disabilities under the Ministry of Education. Is fascinated by the world of CRM. Has strong communication and computer engineering skills. Has excellent communication skills, is a quick learner, is a great team player, and has a keen interest in continued exploration and contribution to the dynamic CRM domain.

Bedri, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Kasem Bundit University, Bangkok, Thailand. Worked as an accountant manager in a private school in Bangkok and marketing-media officer in a professional football club in Yangon, Myanmar. Completed a corporate finance course called CFI. Skilled in organizing events, decision-making, communication, and collaboration. Is an excellent team player. Passionate about sports, technology, and learning new skills. Highly motivated to launch a career within the Salesforce ecosystem.

Esra, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Teaching from Trinity University of Asia, Quezon City, The Philippines. Completed several courses in IT. Has 4+ years of experience working as a Software Developer within the finance industry. Is passionate about technology, finance, and art. Has strong critical thinking and problem solving skills. Is highly motivated to become a Salesforce Developer.

Hamdi, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications and Electrical Engineering from Aden University, Aden, Yemen. Has 15+ years of experience as an ICT engineer. Is interested in ICT, artificial intelligence, customer service, and the creative industries. Is result oriented, an excellent team player, able to work under high pressure, flexible, and resourceful. Has great attention to detail and excellent problem-solving skills. Shows initiative and can easily take on multiple projects at once.

İsmail, Turkish

Holds a degree in Education from Ankara University, Turkey. Has experience working as a teacher and has worked in the public relations and parent satisfaction departments of a private school. Also has experience in retail. Is interested in the IT industry and has the ambition to become a software developer. Dedicated himself to developing his computer programming skills over the last 3 years. Has knowledge of Java and Python.

Maad, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Sana'a University, Sana’a, Yemen, and a Master’s degree in Accounting from Northeast Agriculture University, Harbin, China. Has 6+ years of experience working in the fields of accounting and sales. Is a published author in various academic papers on “Impact of working capital management on profitability: evidence from listed companies in Qatar”. Also participated in the Heilongjiang Accounting Society's scientific research project on a financial risk warning model for manufacturing companies in Heilongjiang Province. Pursued various courses related to accounting software. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, Is a fast learner, shows leadership qualities, and has strong problem-solving, time management, and teamwork skills.

Mo, Palestinian

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Damascus University, Syria. Has 10+ years of experience working as an editorial cartoonist, including contributions to France 24 TV. Independently sells t-shirt designs on Amazon. Is very passionate about marketing. Is interested in a career in technology, with special interest in marketing. Has experience with various graphic programs and web design. Has excellent team working, problem-solving and networking skills. Has great attention to detail.

Mohammed, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen. Has experience working as an executive secretary for a telecommunications company. Organized appointments, prepared meeting reports, followed up on contracts and communicated with the company’s clients.Has the ambition to work in the field of management, banking, sales, and technology. Is a great team player and problem-solver. Is a dedicated employee with excellent work ethics.

Nanziza, Congolese

Has an educational background in social work and technique. Has experience with event management, organized summer camps, and is actively involved with an NGO that organizes social events for women of different backgrounds. Volunteered at an asylum center. Speaks French, English, Swahili, Kinyamulenge and Lingala. Is an excellent team player, has strong communication skills, is friendly, a hard worker, and is dedicated to learning and improving her skills.

Meet the Summer Arnhem 2023 Class

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 13:18:00 GMT

Say Hello to the Summer Arnhem 2023 Class ☀️

We are thrilled to be back in Arnhem for the Summer '23 program!

Our intensive program is for highly motivated and talented newcomer participants. The program includes 20 classroom-based technical training sessions covering all aspects of the Salesforce Associate & Administrator Exam, plus scenarios, team exercises, and best practices with over 100 hours of classroom training. It also includes Career Training sessions delivered by Salesforce professionals. Participants are paired 1-on-1 with Salesforce employees as mentors to help them plan their path into the ecosystem and focus on their career path.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

Get in touch

Akram, Egyptian

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Sciences from Cairo University and an MBA in Financial Management from The Arab Academy for Management, Banking and Financial Sciences, Cairo. Has 13+ years of experience working in the banking industry and extensive experience with corporate credit risk and corporate customer service. Is interested in financial services, corporate services, and banking. His strengths are analytical and critical thinking and problem solving. Has a passion for customer service and excellent interpersonal communication skills. Is proficient in working under pressure. Highly driven, well articulated, and a fast learner. Is a natural team player.

Birhane, Ethiopian

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. Has experience working as an information technology analyst in the energy sector and as a junior quality management officer in an ERP software company. Is interested in working in finances, IT or the energy sector. Has excellent communication skills and is a great team player.

Feven, Eritrean

Completed vmbo-T and HAVO in the Netherlands. Studied software development, social work, and healthcare. Has experience working in the healthcare industry as well as in hospitality. Is extremely interested in a career in tech. Is eager to learn and has a strong desire to develop her tech skills. Has the ambition to work for big tech companies. Has a very optimistic personality and is a fast learner.

Martin, Liberian

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Liberia and an Advanced Diploma in Computer Engineering from the International Institute of Computer Studies in Liberia. Currently completing his Master’s degree in Economics of Development at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Has 10+ years of experience working in advocacy, governance, research, and data analysis. Has experience working as a development worker for UNHCR and has volunteered for UNDP and other humanitarian organizations. Is interested in research and development, technology, data, trade, and commerce. Is an excellent critical thinker and has strong time management, problem-solving, and communication skills. Is a strong team player and eager to learn.

Pasiya, Uyghur

Completed Cambridge IGCSE O level at Global English School, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Has 9+ years of experience working in sales, marketing, and management within the fields of aviation, real estate, and retail. Strives to work for large corporations in the tech industry and has the ambition to grow fast in her career. Has remarkable communication, problem-solving, time management, and leadership skills. Has an eye for detail and works best in a team.

Valentine, South African

Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Sciences from the University of the People, California, United States of America. Holds various certificates in Logistics Management and Business Administration. Has 3+ years of experience working as a fundraiser at prominent organizations such as WWF South Africa and ActionAid South Africa. Was responsible for engaging donors, devising effective fundraising strategies, managing sponsorship programmes, facilitating donation processes, and generating awareness for social justice causes. Has acquired valuable experience in diverse sectors, including retail, construction, and catering. Has a passion for the tech industry and is mainly interested in renewable energy. Possesses a robust and diverse skill set, adapts effortlessly to new challenges, and has excellent communication skills. Is a dedicated professional with strong ambitions and a commitment to personal and professional growth.

Yaser, Syrian

Completed four years of his Bachelor of Education at Al-Furat University, Deir ez-Zor, Syria. Founded a gym in his hometown and has 1+ year experience working as a personal trainer. Has extensive experience volunteering for Because We Carry. Volunteered as a teacher, gym coach, football coach, teacher of physical education, staff member of the breakfast team for 1200 residents, and shift leader in the kitchen. Highly experienced in working with children and young adults. Skilled in coaching and training. Is interested in working in the tech industry due to its changeable and future-proof character. Strives to continuously keep learning and developing his tech skills. Has excellent interpersonal communication skills, makes others feel safe, builds strong and trusting relationships, has a positive mindset, has strong intercultural skills, and is able to translate across languages and cultures.

Zeynep, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Vistula University, Warsaw. Has 1+ years of experience working as an educational consultant. Also has experience as a freelance photographer. Volunteered as a board member of two associations: the Media Society and the International Student Society. Is interested in working in the fields of marketing and sales. Is a strong team player, very organized, has strong communication skills, and is a very creative individual.

Meet the Summer Berlin 2023 Class

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 12:51:42 GMT

Say Hello to the Summer Berlin 2023 Class ☀️

We are thrilled to be back in Berlin for the Summer '23 program!

Our intensive program is for highly motivated and talented newcomer participants. The program includes 20 classroom-based technical training sessions covering all aspects of the Salesforce Associate & Administrator Exam, plus scenarios, team exercises, and best practices with over 100 hours of classroom training. It also includes Career Training sessions delivered by Salesforce professionals. Participants are paired 1-on-1 with Salesforce employees as mentors to help them plan their path into the ecosystem and focus on their career path.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

Get in touch

Veddi, Ghanaian
Holds a Diploma in Business Secretarial. Gained valuable experience working as a Secretary in Business Management and Public Relations. Attained a High School Certificate from Sammo High School in Ghana. Interest in pursuing a career as a Salesforce Administrator in the tech industry. Friendly, excellent communication skills, and a goal-oriented mindset, Peddi excels at independently solving problems while also being open to seeking assistance when needed. Fluent in English and possesses a good command of German.

Tanjina, Bangladeshi

Holds a Master's Degree in Global Supply Chain and Operations Management, specializing in the field. Successfully completed an internship at KORO Handel GmbH, focusing on operations and supply chain. Displays a keen interest in working within the food and retail industry. Known for being a good communicator, adaptive learner, open-minded individual, and creative thinker.

Rukhsara, Afghan

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Kardan University in Kabul, Afghanistan, along with a Diploma in Business Administration. Pursuing another Diploma in Online Marketing. Experienced in various departments such as Finance, HR, and Administration, with a solid 10-year track record in Afghanistan. Strong communication skills, quick learning ability, and proficient in problem-solving, leadership, and decision-making. Has a creative mindset and a curiosity for new ideas. Excels in analytical thinking and demonstrates adaptability in challenging and dynamic environments.

Parvin, Azerbaijani

Pursuing a Master's Degree in Social Science at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, specializing in Public Sector and Event Management. A strong background in these areas, with experience as a board member and executive director of the NGO "Youth Club." Developed expertise in program planning and implementation through these roles. Has experience in various roles including project and public relations manager. Fluent in Azerbaijani, Turkish, English, and German, enabling effective communication in multicultural settings. Strongly skilled in analytical writing and research, with excellent communication and leadership abilities.

Najib, Afghan

Holds a Master's Degree in Computer Science from Technische Universität Berlin. Worked as a lecturer in a public university in Afghanistan. Interested in pursuing opportunities within the E-Commerce, Manufacturing, Logistics & Delivery, Mining and Petroleum, as well as NGOs & NPOs sectors. A strong commitment to work, punctuality, discipline, and tolerance. Hard-working and resilient, consistently demonstrating a strong work ethic.

Kwame, Ghanaian

Holds a Master of Arts in International and Development Economics, showcasing a proven track record of delivering exceptional results in diverse business functions such as corporate banking, database management, communication, and project coordination. Interest in marketing, communication, data management and analysis, as well as business transformation. Highly motivated and analytically driven with strong communication and interpersonal skills. Meticulous attention to detail, along with solid time management and multitasking abilities.

Jonathan, Ghanaian

Certified in Data Analytics from ReDI School in Berlin, with an MSc in International Development from the University of Bath in the UK. Experience as a UI/UX instructor at the ReDI School of Digital Integration in NRW. Interested in diverse industry opportunities, bringing adaptable and excellent communication skills. Exhibits creativity, analytical thinking, effective time management, attention to detail, and problem-solving abilities. Demonstrates curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning.

Hanna, Syrian

Mechanical Engineering student at Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin. Strong foundation in mechanics, thermodynamics, materials science, and design. Experienced in civil engineering and E-Commerce entrepreneurship. Volunteered for a church organization, providing educational and psychological support to Syrian children, and contributed as a translator for "NASA” in Arabic. Passionate about tech advancements, particularly in AI, data analytics, and software development. Effective communicator, organized, adaptable, problem-solver, and team player.

Faharideen, Ghanaian

Studying at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences for an MA degree. Holds an MSc in Project Management and Data Science, along with a BA in Integrated Management Studies for Development Studies. A researcher (Intern) at National Health Insurance, a researcher/Data Analyst at Agricnet, and an operation assistant at Ecobank Ltd in Ghana. Interested in opportunities within consulting agencies, technology companies, financial institutions, or research firms. Possesses valuable skills including adaptability, patience, problem-solving, empathy, and strong communication abilities.

Ewurabena, Ghanaian

Holds a Master's degree in International and Development Economics from HTW Berlin and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Cape Coast. Volunteered in the Breast Cancer Health Program, worked as a relationship officer in Corporate Banking and Retail Banking, and served as a customer service officer in Banking Operations. Interested in the financial services and information technology industries. Effective communication, a strong work ethic, adaptability, collaboration, and attention to detail Strives to contribute and excel in every role and aspires to become a Salesforce Administrator.

Seeking a Life of Her Own: Joy's Story

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 10:47:49 GMT

Seeking a Life of her Own

The story of Apitha (Joy) Seetalaratsamee

Before their paths crossed ours, they were already on an incredible journey. The alumni and participants at Blue Road Academy have countless stories. Stories full of strength, perseverance, and hope – stories that deserve to be told.

This time, we are happy to share the story of Apitha Seetalaratsamee, an English teacher who took matters into her own hands and relocated to Germany in order to gain independence.

Inspired by a well-structured education system abroad, she is now settled in Berlin. Apitha Seetalaratsamee, better known by her nickname Joy, was previously employed as an English teacher by the Thai government. After four years of hard work, she decided she could no longer live in this kind of system.

In Thailand, the educational system puts a tremendous amount of pressure on its teachers. Instead of focusing on the children and spending her time teaching English, she spent most of her time doing paperwork. Even on her days off, she was left with no choice but to come back for meetings. Although she does not have a family of her own yet, based on her experiences as a teacher, she decided right then and there that she did not want her own children to grow up with this kind of education. She quit her job, and so began her search for autonomy—breaking away from a system she does not support.

The idea to move to Europe was being put into motion. Inspired by her dream, her husband started looking for a job in Europe. In the meantime, she earned a role in her family’s ceramics factory. As a marketing manager, she was working with international clients, overseeing the production line, and being able to use her English language skills. Her husband landed himself a job in Munich, and since the family business was doing really well, Joy decided to stay a bit longer. Everything went smoothly until, all of a sudden, business slowed down excessively. The COVID pandemic ultimately became her reason to leave Thailand.

Finding direction in Germany

In her quest for liberty, she decided her life needed to change now, and it was time to move to Germany. She finally joined her husband in Munich, two years after he relocated to the region. Although she had moved to Germany in order to gain independence, she suddenly found herself living the life of a housewife. A life that made her incredibly insecure and very unhappy. Her ambition was to create a life on her own, away from family and without relying on her husband. Even though she loves them very much, and they share all parts of life—or, as they say in Thai, "we all eat rice from the same pot"—it is essential to her to be able to take care of herself. Her first goal was to learn the German language. She was committed to making the language her own during the first few months in her new country. The next step was to find a job.

At one point, she got the chance to work as a sushi chef, in a supermarket an hour away. A job that was too far from what she wanted to do in life. So, she chose to focus on her education instead. "It was not a suitable job for me. I thought if I could study more, it would all be better eventually." She continued studying the language and was finding a path to launch her new career. Joy was inspired by her husband, who is a software developer and was involved in making company websites. She sought the opportunity to enter the tech industry. That’s when she discovered Blue Road Academy.

Kang Tong Cafe Lampang

Everything is falling into place

In the summer of 2021, Joy participated in the program in Berlin. She was immediately very excited about Salesforce, and after she completed the program, she quickly started a Talent Alliance Traineeship at our partner, Nextview Consulting. At a company with such an accommodating atmosphere, she could finally just be herself. Her interview was about her ambitions and interests and whether she would fit in with the team. It didn’t matter that she was new to Salesforce; at Next View Consulting, she got the chance to grow. A work atmosphere so different from what she was used to back in Thailand, and exactly what she has been hoping for for so long.

Some time has passed since she finished her Traineeship, and, alongside her role at the family business, she started working as a Salesforce Consultant at our partner, NTT DATA. This is a large, international company that really suits her. She feels a lot more confident, got to work on projects right away, and everybody works as a team.

"Everything worked out exactly as I was aiming for."

Over the last few years, Joy has finally built a strong foundation on which she can be independent and build a family.

"I am very proud of myself. I feel at home.

I feel like I can take care of myself and take care of my family."

Chiang Rai

Walk Around Freely: Kamal Alaya

Wed, 10 May 2023 14:51:35 GMT

Walk Around Freely

The story of Kamal Alaya

This time, we are happy to share the story of Kamal Alaya, who saw his move to the UK as a chance to get into the industry he always wanted to be in — the world of tech.

He was the first of his family to make the journey from Syria to Europe, carefully documenting every step of the way to prepare his family for what was about to come. Kamal Alaya knew he was good at geography, reading maps, and planning a path. However, he was very aware that his family would have to put their lives in the hands of human traffickers. People he did not trust. After him, his two brothers followed. A few weeks later, his mom and a brother. Next, a brother by himself. And finally, his dad, alone. Every few weeks, when another relative followed in their footsteps, Kamal and his family had to relive their fear over and over again. It was horrific, knowing what was about to happen but not being able to share his stories with them.

"We couldn't tell them anything. It is such a big risk, and we didn't want to confuse them

and lose their focus. They were already so afraid and so scared."

He remembers walking for thirteen days; together with a large group of strangers, he traveled from Macedonia to the border of Serbia. Through social media, Kamal ended up traveling with over a hundred people. They walked together for three hundred kilometers, never leaving anyone behind. The group walked for days and days; among them was even a six-year-old girl. All had their own task; some had to carry water or food; others had to explore the road some distance ahead. They took turns carrying the little girl. Kamal vividly remembers the flags on the Serbian border. Rules and regulations were different there, and once you get to Serbia, they cannot send you back.

"It was like one of those checkpoints in a video game.

Once you get to the Serbian border, you are safe."

After thirteen days of walking, the two hundred meters left to the border felt incredibly far away. "My mind froze, my muscles froze, my legs froze; I couldn't do it anymore."

The group has stayed together the entire journey, but at this point, it was each and everyone for themselves. Together with fifty others, he had to stop and wait for the morning. After days of hardship, Kamal was finally able to cross the border the next morning.

A career path for life

In 2015, he arrived in the UK. After a while, he got himself a job working at the post office. It felt like a hopeless situation. He is a very social person who loves to give back to the community, something he was not able to do in this line of work. Although he does not have a formal background in technology, he has always had an interest in it. Back in Syria, his indecisiveness in selecting a career path finally led him to follow the path his parents set out for him. He ended up with a bachelor’s degree in Law.

In the UK, he finally saw his chance to get into the tech world, the field he had always been so intrigued by. He was looking for ways to get into the industry without any success at first. When he was introduced to Blue Road Academy, his life changed completely. In spring 2022, he joined the program in London and finally made his way into the world of tech. It feels like he is back on track on doing something meaningful with his life again. He is currently working as a Salesforce Functional Consultant at EPAM Systems. He is continuously learning more about the Salesforce ecosystem and truly feels he is making progress. "I never considered Salesforce as part of my career path before, now I want to do it for the rest of my life." Being able to move forward has brought him a lot. Kamal ended up in the UK, but his family settled down in Germany. Finally, he is able to visit his loved ones regularly. A few months ago, he met his sister for the first time in ten years. She is a mother of three now, and seeing these children for the first time was an indescribable feeling. A feeling of pure happiness and a realization of how much they have all been through over the years.

Travel the same road back

After a number of difficult years, he finally feels he is able to live a normal life again. He is eager to do all the things he had to miss for a long time: spend time with his family and work towards his future. Besides the path he has set out for his career, he also has big plans for his personal life. He strives to travel all the way back, following the same exact path, by motorcycle.

One village in particular will be a meaningful stop. He remembers being in a little place in Greece. The villagers were not fond of immigrants passing through their town; they were cooperating with the police and did not even look him in the eye. He had to hide in the mountains, waiting for the middle of the night to leave. Kamal wants to return to this village and be able to walk around freely. Only one document makes this difference. It is important for his healing process to take this journey. He feels the need to reflect on this challenging chapter of his life and see how far he has come since then.

"It will be very emotional for me, but on my motorcycle, I will feel free."

Meet the Eindhoven Spring 2023 Class

Mon, 08 May 2023 10:58:37 GMT

Meet the Eindhoven Spring 2023 �� Class

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers.

We provide an intensive program to highly motivated and talented newcomer participants. The program includes 20 classroom-based technical training sessions covering all aspects of the Salesforce Associate & Administrator Exam, plus scenarios, team exercises, and best practices with over 100 hours of classroom training. It also includes Career Training sessions delivered by Salesforce professionals. Participants are paired 1-on-1 with Salesforce employees as mentors to help them plan their path into the ecosystem and focus on their career path.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

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Reihane, Iranian
Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Media Translation from Jahad University and acquired licenses in ICDL and Adobe Photoshop. Professional translator from Iran with experience in digital marketing and a passion for medicine, microbiology, cosmetics, industry, energy, technology, and fashion. Strong team player and multitasker with excellent communication and problem-solving skills. Volunteered as an English teacher for two years. Confident in the ability to excel in various roles requiring time management and creativity.

Raad, Yemeni

Graduated from the Accounting Department at Taiz University and also completed two years in the Business Administration Department at St. Philomenas College. Accumulated three years of experience in data entry, call center, and field research with Apex Consulting. Completed courses on Coursera website and received educational training on HTML and CSS programming. Passionate about a career in financial affairs, auditing, trade, and data visualization. Highly adaptable, eager to take on new challenges, and comfortable working in dynamic work environments.

Nezar, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science with Information Technology from Sikkim Manipal University in India. Completed various short professional courses in business, computer science, and finance. Has 13 years of work experience in different roles such as Online Sales E-commerce - Assistant Key Account Manager (AKAM), Administration Assistant, Project Assistant, Financial Management Assistant, and IT Assistant. Worked with profit organizations, non-profit global/local organizations, and government agencies. Interested in a career related to sales, trade, finance management, logistics, and open to other opportunities provided by SalesForce. Skilled in SAP, data analysis, Excel, worked with different operational platforms, and possesses creative problem-solving skills. A great team player with a can-do attitude.

Moataz, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in International Business Management from Limkokwing University, Malaysia, and completed an entrepreneurship program with Forward Inc. organization, Netherlands. Experience includes working as a marketing assistant intern and logistic coordinator, with a focus on business plan development. Aspiring to hold a management position in marketing, trade, and supply chain in a multinational company. Skilled in communication and presentation, with a passion for learning and helping others.

Furkan, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and Public Administration. Completed two Erasmus+ Exchange study programs, one in Political Science and Diplomacy in Lithuania and the other in Management in Poland. Also completed the WURth-while-Inclusion program on Political Sociology for Development at Wageningen University. Proficient in Dutch at the B1 level. Skilled in critical thinking, research, and analysis, with a focus on social development, policy-making, and international relations.

Hanif, Afghan

Holds a Degree in Civil Engineering from Kabul University, Afghanistan, with over 3 years of experience in administrative, IT, and logistic roles. Passionate about technology, finance, and administration. Possesses strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and is a fast learner with a flexible attitude. Strong communication and collaboration skills, and interested in becoming a Salesforce expert. Eager to take on challenges, explore different opportunities, and willing to try new things. A highly adaptive individual.

Eseyas, Dutch

Holds a Master's Degree in Environmental Technology and worked as a soil and water conservation Engineer for 5 years in his home country. Worked in various sectors in Europe as a Process Engineer in Engineering firms and as a Program Director in schools. Completed a web-development bootcamp to further his technology skills. Passionate about technology and environmental Engineering. Possess excellent communication, time management, and learning skills.

Elif, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering from Eastern Mediterranean University. Possess extensive administrative and work experience, including six years as a Product Category Director in a prominent furniture company, where she managed new product development, sales and after-sales service, and data analytics. Skilled in Microsoft Excel, SAP Business Object, and SAP ERP, and have basic knowledge of Power Bi. Passionate about the furniture and white appliances industries, particularly in the areas of data analytics and new product development.

Ammar, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Application from Osmania University, followed by a Master's degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with a major in Computer Engineering from UTHM University in Malaysia. Developed skills in business marketing, project management, and hospital translation during studies. Self-motivated and hardworking with a keen interest in project management and administration. Short-term goal is to secure a position in a reputable company, while the long-term goal is to establish a personal company and travel the world with his family.

Abdulfattah, Yemeni

Received a certificate in International Law and Refugee Rights, Job Interview Skills, and Summer Camp from ADRA Organization. Also holds a diploma in Network and Computer Maintenance from NYI. Earned a diploma in Trading from the University of Science and Technology in Aden. Previously worked as a Social Worker with ADRA Organization and engaged in various activities. Interested in project management and administration, enjoys taking on new challenges, and comfortable working in a dynamic work environment.

Meet the Groningen Spring 2023 Class

Mon, 08 May 2023 10:13:13 GMT

Meet the Groningen Spring 2023 �� Class

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers. We are grateful for our program hosts, Harvest Digital .

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

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Veronika, Ukrainian

holds a Master's Degree in International Relations from Odesa I.I. Mechnikov University and a Master's Degree in European Studies in Human Rights and Democratization from Yerevan State University through the Global Campus program. Worked as an account manager and research assistant/content manager. Experienced in website management, social media, and publishing analytical articles. Interested in marketing, trade, and consulting, with a focus on supporting operational management.

Seyma, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the National Defense University in Turkey. Worked as an officer in the army, with 3 years as a team leader and 2 years as Deputy Operational Manager handling logistics and maintenance tasks. Volunteered at Levendig Musselkanal company in the Netherlands for a year, organizing activities and improvement works. Interested in the software industry, skilled in HTML, CSS, Basic Python, and Mendix development with Lowcode knowledge. Seeking new challenges in Salesforce. Enjoys overcoming challenges, working in a team, and learning new things. Fast learner with a positive and adaptable attitude.

Reem, Syrian

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts from Damascus University and has experience as a graphic designer, creating visual designs for advertisements, logos, and print materials. Also skilled in sculptural design. Volunteered as a translator and has an interest in financial and accounting matters. Flexible, enjoys taking on new challenges, and comfortable in a changing work environment.

Odier, Ethiopian

Holds a Bachelor's in theology, care assistant, business orientation certifications, and social/management certificates. Has worked with NGOs, UNHCR, and volunteered with business organizations. Interested in working with non-government organizations. Skilled in social work, counseling, teaching, leadership, management, and creativity.

Musa, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education majoring in English from the Philippines. Has 5 years of teaching experience in Cambodia and is Cambridge certified. Also has work experience in sales teams for Davies Paint, restaurant management, teaching, tutoring, and trade. Interested in pursuing a career as a Salesforce Consultant.

Mo, Palestinian

Holds a Diploma in Business Administration and a Bachelor's degree in International Business. Experienced in quality assurance, management, senior management assistance, human resource management, HR total reward, and HR analysis. Passionate about business intelligence, business automation, and data analysis, and believes in the endless opportunities these fields offer for innovation and growth. Excited to apply skills and experience to help companies stay ahead of the curve.

Manal, Syrian

Holds a license in Literature and Human Sciences and a Bachelor's degree in English Language, with over 10 years of teaching experience and supervision. Skilled in teaching methodologies, instructional techniques, NLP, and computer proficiency. Holds a certificate in Managerial Development & Development Management.

Emrullah, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Kocaeli University and has gained valuable work experience in the field of foreign trade and custom brokerage in Turkey. With 4 years of experience in a foreign trade company, 3.5 years in custom brokerage, and 6 months as an import specialist, has developed strong skills in import/export operations, customs clearance, and supply chain management. Eager to gain further experience and knowledge in Salesforce.

Abdulmalek, Yemeni

Studied Industrial Engineering at Taiz University and gained extensive work experience, including working as a chef at a Yemeni restaurant in Istanbul. Possesses exceptional problem-solving skills, excels in team-oriented environments, and is highly adaptable. Has a background in IT and aspires to become a Salesforce developer in the near future.

Meet the Arnhem Spring 2023 Class

Tue, 02 May 2023 11:31:52 GMT

Meet the Arnhem Spring 2023 �� Class

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers.

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Abdelmejid, Ethiopian
Studied Geology at Mekelle University, Ethiopia. Completed a course in Digital Marketing. Has two years of experience volunteering as an English teacher for young students at Melody School of English. Is interested in the tech and business industries, and passionate about digital marketing and sales. Has excellent time management-, communication- and interpersonal skills. Is creative and a great team player. Has an eye for detail, a good work ethic, and a talent for solving problems.

Afif, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Taiz University, Yemen, a Master’s Degree in Accounting from St. Clements University, Yemen, and a PhD in Accounting and Finance from Management and Science University, Malaysia. Has several years of experience working as an accountant, internal auditor, financial manager and business consultant, and has worked with different systems such as QuickBooks, Zoho Books, SQL, TradeGecko. Is interested in a career related to finances, auditing, consulting, or trade. Is skilled in data analysis. Is very flexible, loves to take on new challenges, and enjoys working in a changing work environment.

Can, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations from Vistula University, Poland. Has experience as a trainee at Arco Forum, an NGO in Spain focused on cultural interaction between Turkish and Spanish communities. Co-owned a Turkish restaurant in Brazil, inspired by the family business he grew up in. Worked as a procurement manager and marketer in the United States. Is highly motivated to work in the retail and tech industries. Is very empathic, dedicated to his work, an excellent leader, and solution centered.

Dogukan, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Marmara University, Turkey. Is currently studying for his Master’s Degree in Law and Technology in Europe from Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Has experience working as a lawyer. Is interested in banking, retail, the public sector, and professional services. Is a wonderful team player, has a great work ethic, and loves to take on new challenges.

Enes, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Ankara University, Turkey. Participated in several exchange programs. Has experience as an intern in law and in QA Test and Automation – testing web-based applications with proven expertise in Selenium and Java. Volunteered for various projects related to environmental awareness. Is interested in launching a career in tech, more specifically in software development. Excellent communication and problem-solving skills. Is confident, detail-oriented, easy-going, flexible, and not afraid to show initiative. Enjoys working in a fast-paced work environment.

Faeza, Eritrean

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from the Eritrean Institute of Technology, Eritrea. Has 3+ years of experience working in the tech and banking industries, and has worked in hardware maintenance. Is currently volunteering as a translator. Is interested in programming and data analysis. Has experience with HTML, Java, and C++. Is motivated to learn more about programming, developing and web design. Is very patient, empathic, social, and easy-going.

Kuerban, Uyghur

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Administration Management from Xinjiang University, China. Has several years of working experience in sales, retail, and the tourism industry in the United Arab Emirates. Is interested in working in the tech industry. Aims to land a role as a Salesforce Administrator. Has excellent teamwork skills, very organized, is a natural leader, and is great at solving problems.

Muath, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy from Sana’a University, Yemen. Has 13+ years of experience working in top pharmaceutical multinational companies (Roche, Merck, Sanofi). Has main expertise in the areas of pharmaceutical sales and marketing, drug development and clinical trials, regulatory affairs, or healthcare policy. Skilled in several therapeutic areas such as cardiology, diabetes, anemia, transplantation, rheumatology, medicine, and gastroenterology. Is interested in both the pharmaceutical and the tech industries. Is an agile and quick learner, an active listener, has excellent communication and interpersonal skills, is a great team player, and shows a strong command in leadership skills.

Rahin, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Application from University of Mysore, St. Philomena’s College, India. Has experience working in marketing and finance as a software engineering analyst at Easy Agency, and as an accountant assistant at Sabafon, where he reviewed, classified, and compiled financial data. Is interested in working in the tech industry. Has strong communication skills, is highly adaptable, thrives in fast-paced environments, has strong multi-tasking skills, and is a creative thinker with a passion for innovation and problem-solving.

Ramzi, Lebanese

Holds a bachelor’s Degree in TV Production from Al Kafaàt University, Lebanon. Completed courses in Microsoft, Autocad and Photoshop. Has 15+ years of experience working in Dubai as an operation store manager in the fields of retail, fashion, and ready goods. Is interested in logistics and retail. Loves taking on new challenges, is a great listener, has excellent communication and teamwork skills, enjoys learning new things, and strives to share his knowledge with others.

Valeriia, Ukrainian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Analysis from the National University of Pedagogic, Kharkiv, Ukraine. Completed several courses in business analysis in IT. Has 9+ years of experience working as a teacher and is the founder of a private school in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Also has experience as a business analyst at IdeaSoft.io and EPAM Systems. Is interested in software development and aims to land a role as a Salesforce business analyst. Has strong communication, collaboration, troubleshooting, problem-solving, leadership, and decision making skills. Is very creative and curious. Is excellent at analytical thinking and has the ability to work in challenging and changing conditions.

Yavuz, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Engineering from Ondokuz Mayis University, Turkey. Has experience working as a food engineer and in PR. Is interested in social media and online marketing. Started a webshop. Is passionate about sales and contacting customers, and he enjoys helping customers. Autodidact video editor. Has experience working with social media and SEO. Is interested in the tech industry and aims to work as a Salesforce consultant. Has excellent communication skills, strong verbal and written communication, is an active listener, works very well in groups, and has great presentation skills.

Ziyad, Syrian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in IT Engineering from the University of Damascus, Syria, and a Master’s Degree in Information Systems from the Arab Academy for Management, Banking and Financial Sciences. Has 17+ years of experience working in IT Engineering and has worked in the fields of education, business administration, and business development. Is specialized in networking and operating systems. Worked as a machine programmer at the CNC Factory. Earned himself specialized certifications from Microsoft and Cisco. Has actively participated in a variety of volunteering projects in the Netherlands, resulting in various recognized certificates. Worked with a Dutch learning language publishing company. Certified business entrepreneur. Is eager to explore the field of enterprise resource management. Is volunteering as an IT support specialist at COA.

Eren, Turkish

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Turkish Military Academy University. Holds an associate degree in Web Design and Coding from Anadolu University. Has experience working as a helicopter pilot in Turkey. Is interested in aviation as well as the tech industry. Aims to land a position as a Salesforce developer. Has great time management skills, enjoys working in a team, and is excellent at analytical thinking.

Fortuna, Eritrean

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision with a minor in Educational Psychology from the Eritrean Institute of Technology, Eritrea. Completed a course in Marketing and Design. Has experience as an English language teacher and has volunteered as a translator for COA. Is interested in UI/UX Design and Marketing. Is an optimistic person with a very positive mindset. Is friendly, a wonderful team player, flexible, and very organized.

Meet the Munich Spring 2023 Class

Mon, 01 May 2023 11:06:14 GMT

Meet the Munich Spring 2023 �� Class

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers. We are very grateful for our official partner and training program host NTT Data Dach.

Alongside our comprehensive technical training program, Jobs4Refugees provides Job Readiness Training where every participant will benefit from sessions covering employability, legal and contract rights, employer research, and job description review.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

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Andrii, Ukrainian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical and Sport Culture from Prydniprovska State Academy, Ukraine. Aims to pursue a Master’s Degree in Computer Science. Is a certified Salesforce admin and an autodidact JavaScript developer. Strives to become a Salesforce developer. Is a strong team player and an active listener. Has great communication skills, attention to detail, and strong cultural awareness.

Joseph, Nigerian

Highly motivated and detail-oriented privacy and cybersecurity professional. Has a background in law, international security management, data protection, and compliance. Well-versed in research and regulatory analysis and committed to promoting data governance, privacy, and cybersecurity. Wants to assist individuals and organizations in navigating the complex legal landscapes of compliance, contracting, and project management. Dedicated to continuous learning. Seeking a challenging position in IT, project management, and cybersecurity. Aims to utilize his legal background and expertise to build a career in the security industry.

Mohammed, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Sakarya University, Turkey, and in Business Administration and Management from Anadolu University, Turkey. Also studied for his Bachelor’s Degree Mechanical Engineering at the Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences, Germany. Worked and volunteered for various social organizations and student clubs. Has experience as an intern in the fields of management and marketing. Has an interest in technology and the engineering industry. Excellent teamwork and leadership skills.

Ranjit, Indian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Applications and a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from Guru Nanak Dev University, India. Has experience as a junior programmer in Java development. Very interested in pursuing a career in the tech industry. Earned her German Language B1 certification. She is friendly, cooperative, hardworking, a team player, and has excellent communication skills.

Samson, Nigerian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Demography and Social Statistics from the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and a Master’s Degree in Development Studies from the University of Passau, Germany. Has experience as a sustainability technical assistant; conducted research on sustainable development, which resulted in the reduction of waste disposal by 85%. Did an internship at Salesforce in the Sustainability and Solution Strategy department and assisted in the creative design of sustainability management and data analysis solutions. Is interested in financial services, commerce, health services, and telecommunications. Has strong problem solving-, time management-, and communication skills, is a great team player, and excellent in critical thinking.

Yousif, Yemeni

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Malaysia Pahang (degree internationally recognized), Malaysia. Started his Master’s in Occupational Health and Safety at the University of Malaysia Pahang, Malaysia. Has experience working as a chemical engineer. Is interested in business management as well as chemical engineering. Is a great team player, very flexible, and enjoys working independently. Speaks Arabic, English, German, and Malay.

Turning Turmoil into Opportunity

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 11:09:45 GMT

Are you a new tech graduate, looking to launch your career in tech, but feeling slightly nervous about the current job market? In this article we unpack the current labour market, we highlight possible tech career possibilities, and we show you what’s the best thing you can do during these unpredictable times.

Unpacking the current labour market and looking into the future

Things are happening in the tech industry right now. You have no doubt seen the news about layoffs at tech companies like Salesforce, reorganisations, and falling stock markets. Troubling messages are dominating the news, but is there a need to panic for those in the tech industry, and, in particular for young tech professionals looking for employment? Short answer: No.

The tech industry and the Salesforce economy alike are going through uncertain times, but these are also exciting times as we are transitioning into a new chapter in history. As Theo Francis, Wall Street Journal reporter, expresses so clearly: “Just because there are a lot of layoffs, doesn’t mean nobody’s hiring”. Across Europe, there are over 1,7 million tech positions ready to be filled. The majority of which even requires less than two years of experience. The industry has shown over and over again how incredibly resilient, flexible and innovative it is. Today’s industry is rapidly changing, revealing all of its amazing new potential as we progress. Tech has always kept up with current demand, and there is no reason to believe it will vanish into thin air all of a sudden. In this article, we will show you five proven tactics that will assist your job search as a young Salesforce professional in the current labour market. But first, let’s dive into what’s going on.

How did we end up here?

Before focusing on all the opportunities still out there, what exactly is going on in the tech industry? In short, COVID caused the industry to boom. All of a sudden, tech was the only thing that kept us connected and companies around the globe jumped on all the opportunities that suddenly emerged. The digital imperative became the digital necessity. With all this new business coming in, companies grew fast and hired excessively – Salesforce was no exception.. However, it was only a matter of time before this sudden success would decline. The economy in early 2023 is looking vastly different and in current times of war, economic chaos, inflation and falling stock markets, it turns out companies hired too many new tech professionals. In this economy, companies feel the need to be more cautious. It is yet to be determined what the future will look like, so they are not taking any unnecessary risks.

Finding your place in today’s tech industry

As an aspiring tech professional ready to launch a career, this caution of potential employers might be a reason to feel concerned. However, don’t forget that the tech industry is massive and extremely widespread. Every company uses technology. It is deeply embedded in numerous sectors worldwide. According to IDC, the Salesforce economy continues to grow steadily to this day. The report forecasts that by 2026, Salesforce will create 9.3 million new jobs worldwide. Cloud computing continues to grow, which means that specialised tech skills remain in high demand. Tech remains a very strong career choice. In addition, tech unemployment has always been incredibly low (around 2%), but even diminished in 2023 (1,5%).

For tech professionals in Europe, there are many possibilities. So, what exactly does the European market look like now, and which roles are in high demand? The quarterly report by CompTIA, which examines ten markets across Europe, shows that during the third quarter of 2022 nearly 1,7 million tech positions were ready to be filled. In the Netherlands, 225,000 tech job postings opened up during this time; in Germany even 1,5 million. Of these job postings, a whopping 54% of positions required less than two years of experience in tech. So, the majority of all available tech positions in Europe are dedicated to new talent in the industry! Thes are very promising statistics for young professionals ready to launch their career, specially roles like Software Developer,, System Analyst, Cybersecurity and IT Support Specialist are in high demand – roles also related to Salesforce. Leading sectors are Information and Communication, Manufacturing, and Administrative and Support Services. Other sectors to look out for are Education, Finances, Transportation and Construction. Experts in the industry are convinced huge growth is coming soon.

Five tactics that assist your job search

Companies are preparing for what is about to happen. As a newcomer in tech, how can you best respond to this? Companies are securing their businesses – making it future-proof – and so should you. Businesses are evaluating which skills they might need soon. Out of the turmoil that is currently going on, new possibilities will undoubtedly emerge rapidly. Times are changing and there is no better time to prepare yourself than today. Like any other definitive time in history, there will be winners and there will be losers. Here are five ways in which you can get ready for your next role in the tech industry and come out on top.

Start building strategic tech skills . Do some research, discover which areas of tech are in high demand and explore which tech skills you would like to improve.
Earn yourself some new certificates . Being a Salesforce professional means you’re never done learning. Find some interesting Salesforce specialisations and strengthen your position in the job market.
Commit to the greater good and volunteer your time at NGOs or non-profits . There are plenty of small organisations out there that could use your time and expertise. They often don’t have the resources to improve their tech infrastructure. However, as a Salesforce professional you can support them and simultaneously get some hands-on experience.
Freelance and improve your skills . On freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr , there’s plenty of Salesforce-related work. It will give you the chance to gain some experience (and some cash).
Learn from the experts in the industry and find yourself an internship . Surrounding yourself with professionals in a new field can be very beneficial. It is an opportunity to learn, to grow, to develop and build a network. A short-term (paid) internship can help to avoid a career gap and gain some new knowledge and perspectives.

"Every day, I belong here more": Dana's story

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 10:52:35 GMT

"Every day, I belong here more."

This time, we are happy to share the story of Dana Zandaki , a young graduate who finally created a home for herself in the Netherlands.

Damascus, Syria

The very next day after she passed the Salesforce Administrator exam, Dana Zandaki earned herself a job offer. The journey that led her to her first Salesforce job was not an easy one, but it paid off: She finally found a place where she belongs.

Without a home

Seven years ago, the young graduate had no choice but to leave her home country. It was right after she graduated from Damascus University when her life drastically changed. She studied English Literature, a field she did not completely choose freely but nevertheless enjoyed. The moment she graduated, she had exactly one week to plan her departure from Syria. There was not enough time to say all her goodbyes, but this would have been her only chance to leave. Dana had to go. Her month-long journey to the Netherlands was difficult and dangerous, with little sleep, lots of waiting, and constant worrying. "I felt so bad on my way to Europe. Can you imagine how my family must have felt? Sometimes we didn’t have contact for days. What if something had happened to me?" Not knowing it would take her seven long years to be reunited with her family, she focused on another loved one. In Amsterdam, after almost two years of separation, she was finally reunited with her boyfriend.

Their first years in the Netherlands were unpredictable. Living in camps, she mainly focused on learning Dutch. Her boyfriend became her husband, and when he introduced her to Salesforce, it sparked her interest and marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life. Dana devoted herself to making the ecosystem her own, absorbing as much knowledge as she could. "I was very motivated to learn Salesforce. I believe learning empowers me. You get into something, and you just keep going and going, learning more and more. Before you know it, time flies!"

After four years of being in the Netherlands, Dana joined one of the very first programs of Blue Road Academy and she finally took her first steps in the Salesforce ecosystem. Even though the organization and the program were still in their early stages, she loved everything about it: the skills she learned, the possibilities it provided, and how devoted everybody on the team was . "It was all very new. The whole program was new. There was no office, no board, no success stories, and no good examples. But I loved it!" It truly was a leap of faith, by everybody involved. In the summer of 2019, Dana graduated from the program.

Old city, Damascus

Putting down roots

After finishing, her life changed rapidly. It has already been three years since she landed her first job in the Salesforce ecosystem. At Digiphi, she found a family. In the small company, she gets the chance to develop and grow. She loves how there’s space to connect and how everybody’s looking out for each other. The atmosphere at Digiphi is exactly what she needs. Right now, it has been a few years since she first entered the Dutch labor market, and she can only be proud of the life she has created for herself. "Every day I feel like I belong here more and more. I really feel like I am putting down my roots here. I believe home is not where you were born; it is where you can be free."

She envisions a future here, together with her husband, in the Netherlands. She absolutely loves working at Digiphi and is excited to grow within the organization. At Digiphi, she has the opportunity to explore the field of Salesforce and discover her own talents and interests. Dana anchored herself in the world of Salesforce, and over the last few years, she has acquired six certifications. Recently, she earned herself a permanent position as a Senior Salesforce Consultant at Digiphi. Her future is wide open, and for now, she just wants to be happy and enjoy her life.

Last summer, she was finally able to travel again to Syria and see her family for the first time in years. The wrinkles in her dad's face made it painfully visible how much time has passed. It was very emotional to see them again. It was the first time she was apart from her family, and hopefully this will also be the longest time. From now on, she strives to see them every year. Something she finally managed to make a possibility.

Strengthening the community

She believes that now is the time to pay it forward. She strives to take what Blue Road Academy and Salesforce have taught her and give it back to other women who are struggling to find their place. By sharing her experiences, she hopes to empower and inspire women so they can find their place in the world and live their lives to the fullest - "By sharing our stories, we strengthen each other."

City of Jasmine

Silver linings: Alain Gatungo

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 13:14:21 GMT

Silver Linings

This time, we are sharing the story of Alain Gatungo , a young man whose life took some dramatic turns before settling down in the Netherlands.

Kampala, Uganda

“The story of Congo is a very sad one. It is one of the most beautiful countries ever. The rainforest, the animals, the mountains… The richness and beauty of Congo — it somehow became its curse. Gold, diamonds, uranium, coltan, cobalt… Things that should benefit the people, actually harmed them. So much beauty, and nobody is able to enjoy it.”

Alain Gatungo was still a kid when he had to leave Congo behind; he was only twelve years old at the time. From a young age, there have been many dramatic changes in his life, but today, he is finally living a very happy life in Amsterdam - only fifteen minutes away from his parents. Here, he is able to work on a promising career. It has been a decade since his life was uprooted for the first time. The journey that led him here was emotionally difficult. “I don’t think a lot about these times in my life, because the outcome didn’t continue to be bad. However, it is still a part of me.”

Rainy days

Alain grew up in Congo, a place troubled by war and conflict for centuries. As a child, he grew up in the eastern part of Congo, where he lived in Uvira with his family. He comes from a big African family with five siblings — four brothers and one sister. At one point during the war, the family was separated from their mother. For years, nobody knew what happened to her. Together with his stepfather and siblings, he fled to Uganda. It was an extremely difficult time. Not only was it difficult to process the separation, but it also took a lot of effort to adjust to the new country. Growing up in Congo, the family spoke French. In Uganda, one of the major issues for all of them was learning English. Alain, as a young boy, also had to navigate a new educational system. Something that was not easy for him. He always had an interest in technology, studying his neighbors’ phones and computers, trying to figure out how it all worked and how to connect it to the internet. “In Africa, people have less knowledge about tech. I wanted to know how it all worked.” Years later, this curiosity led him to study computer science at Bugema University in Kampala.

Completely unexpected, after five years of being in Uganda, Alain’s mother finally located her family. After they were separated, she found her way to the Netherlands and has been living there ever since. Since most Congolese fled to Uganda, she had a feeling they would be there, and she sent people to look out for the family. Alain’s brother was working in the city at the time. They found him and for the first time in years, the family had contact again with their mother. After years of not knowing what had happened, it did not even seem like a possibility anymore to be reunited. In Alain’s mind, there was no chance to ever see his mother again. The family was reunited in the Netherlands, and so his life drastically changed for the second time.

Mount Kahuzi, Congo

Bright future

Starting a new life in Europe, Alain was full of questions. It was a confusing time, and he had to figure out again what his life was going to be like in another new country. Again, he had to overcome a new language barrier. The first years were all about learning and doing exams. It was an overwhelming time where he not only had to study hard, learning Dutch at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and take integration courses; as a young adult, he also had to find a path in life and explore who he is. Alain first joined an IT program taught in Dutch, but his language skills were not sufficient at the time and he had to quit. After a while, he found a startup, Integri, that believed in him. They wanted him to join a program where he would be trained in Salesforce, receive payment, and end up with a job offer. It all sounded very promising, like a dream come true, until another setback happened: Covid. Since Integri was a startup and it was unclear at the time how the pandemic would affect their company, the offer fell through. Luckily, Alain found Blue Road Academy. Despite the pandemic, the program still continued, and Alain was able to move forward again. He successfully finished the program in the fall of 2020. Quickly, he had the chance to join one of Blue Road’s recruitment partners: Valtech (formerly Appsolutely). He started working at the company as an Administrator in March 2021. Since then, he has grown a lot, and he strives to become a Developer in the future. Alain envisions a bright future and a very promising career. “There are a lot of things in the job that are very exciting. I like to keep the path open and explore all the opportunities there are.”

Alain does not have a very strong connection to Congo anymore, unfortunately, since he left when he was young. One day, he hopes to return and explore the country where his roots lie. “I am very happy where I am now, in the Netherlands, where I am able to see the future.”

Mount Nyiragongo, Congo

Meet the Berlin Winter 2023 Class

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 09:54:17 GMT

Berlin Winter 2023 ☃️

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers.

We provide an intensive 6 week program to highly motivated and talented refugee participants. The program includes 20 classroom-based technical training sessions covering all aspects of the Salesforce Administrator Exam, plus scenarios, team exercises, and best practices with over 100 hours of classroom training. It also includes Career Training sessions delivered by Salesforce professionals. Participants are paired 1-on-1 with Salesforce employees as mentors to help them plan their path into the ecosystem and focus on their career path.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new Salesforce talent to your team?

Get in touch

Abdul-Rauf, Ghanaian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Integrated Management Studies from the University for Development Studies in Tamale. Pursuing his Master’s Degree in International and Development Economics at HTW Berlin. Worked as a customer service coordinator at IDE Ghana (International Development Enterprise), where he was introduced to Salesforce. Developed a strong interest in the ecosystem and aspires to learn more about Salesforce and technology. Has the ambition to start a new career in data management. Dreams to become a Salesforce administrator at one of the world’s biggest companies. Eager to learn, likes to work hard, has strong communication skills, and is determined, committed, tolerant and respectful.

Ahmad, Syrian

Was studying Business Administration at Tartous University in Syria. Likes to challenge himself and learn new things, such as gastronomy, sports, marketing, consulting and journalism. A fast learner and eager to continuously expand his knowledge.

Chima, Nigerian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Ghana and a Master’s Degree in International Business and Sustainability from the University of Hamburg. Has a diploma in IT and web development from ReDI School of Digital Integration and a diploma in full-stack software engineering from Code Academy Berlin. As a SEO analyst and software developer, he has extensive experience with social media. Interested in IT consulting, health, and automation. Has excellent skills in negotiation, public speaking, coaching, time management, and leadership.

Feras, Syrian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature, with a major in Translation. Worked in the customer service department at Syriatel Mobile Telecom, as an English teacher at the Technical University of Applied Sciences Waldau, and as a quality specialist and quality mentor at Sitel Group. Has excellent organizational, time management, and coaching skills. Interested in sales, marketing, customer service, and technology.

Hamayun, Pakistani

Holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration in Marketing, from the Institute of Management Sciences in Peshawar, Pakistan. Worked for several years in the family business as well as for various well-known companies in Sales and Marketing, both in Pakistan and Germany. Interested in the automotive industry, the tech industry, commerce, construction, and IT. Analytical thinker and a team player. Ambitious, eager to learn new things, and well organized.

Kanij, Bangladeshi

Holds an MA in Economics from the Berlin University of Applied Sciences, as well as an MBA and BBA from the University of Dhaka. Has experience in project management and worked as a senior executive officer at IDLC Finance Limited in Bangladesh. Interested in IT, development, and commerce. Has more than five years of experience in project management, sales, marketing, and finance. Excited to pursue a new career in data management.

Mbiatat, Cameroonian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Assistance, and a Master’s Degree in Public Health. Was part of multiple outreach projects in Africa about oral health hygiene. Has excellent listening skills, is detail-oriented, and works best in a team. His goal is to become a Salesforce consultant.

Mohammad, Syrian

Holds two Bachelor’s Degrees: one in English Literature and one in Business Administration. Has experience in a variety of sectors, such as HR, CRM, logistics and education. Strives to combine technology and economy. Speaks and writes Arabic, English and German. Volunteered in humanitarian projects in Syria, including one that helped young girls go to school. Inspired by the sense of community in Salesforce. Has great communication skills, the ability to work under pressure, and can work in both small and large teams.

Syed, Pakistani

Has ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) qualifications. Professional experience in the field of business development (B2C and B2B). Has business experience in Pakistan, Dubai, Ukraine, and Germany. Interested in retail, wholesale, and non-food consumer product import and export. Excellent skills in business development, customer relations, customer-oriented business strategies, and financial management.

Vasanthi, Indian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Engineering. Strives to start a career as a Salesforce administrator.

Meet the Stockholm Winter 2023 Class

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 14:16:36 GMT

Stockholm Winter 2023 ☃️

We are pleased to launch our first ever program in Stockholm! Together with program partners Deloitte, Redpill/Linpro, Axenon, and Sirocco, we are able to launch our Award-winning program for newcomers in Stockholm for the very first time.

Our program provides 20 classroom-based training sessions, covering all components of the Salesforce Administrator Exam. Emphasis will be on scenarios, team exercises, and industry best practices, totaling 100+ hours of classroom training and 60+ hours of e-learning. Additionally, the program includes sessions led by experienced Salesforce professionals focused on career development. Each participant is paired with a Salesforce employee as a mentor to guide them in planning their journey within Salesforce and honing their career goals.

Ameer, Pakistani

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of Gujrat and a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from Stockholm University. Has four years of experience in web development. His strengths are time management and honesty. Passionate about information technology.

Ayesha, Bangladeshi

Has a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and a Master’s Degree in IT. Has professional experience as a technical analyst at Standard Chartered Bank. Her soft skills include problem solving, stress management, intercultural competence, diversity awareness, teamwork, mentoring, and conflict management. Has a positive work ethic.

Igbe, Nigerian

Has a degree in Computer Science from the University of Benin. Worked for UNHCR as an administrator coordinator, F2F coordinator, and team leader for fundraising. Also worked as assistant division personnel for the Red Cross. Aims to work in an industry that supports humanity and community. Office administrative support, computer and information technology, community and social services are all areas of interest. Has excellent soft skills, such as communication, time management, attention to detail, leadership, teamwork, and problem solving.

Neha, Indian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Engineering from the National Institute of Science and Technology in Berhampur. Has a diploma in Project Management in IT. Has experience as an office manager, store manager assistant, substitute teacher, and event support staff. Fast learner who is enthusiastic, hardworking, organized, and enjoys taking on new challenges. Interested in an industry where her knowledge can be used for the growth of the company.

Sakhidad, Afghan

Has a diploma in Business Administration. Worked in an organization that managed various properties. Professional experience in marketing, retail, and customer service. Aims to be a project manager.

Viktoriia, Ukrainian

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Programming and a Master’s Degree in Mathematics from Dnipropetrovs'kij Nacional'nij University. Has fifteen years of experience working for Ukraine’s biggest bank, PrivatBank. Has experience in a variety of positions: HR manager, team manager, business analyst, financial analyst, and budgeting specialist. She is interested in finances and IT. She has strong communication skills; she is supportive, a good listener, and gives excellent advice.

Ayesha, Swedish

Has a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce and is specialized in Business Economics. Trained in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and .NET Application Programming. Her ambition is to work with a growing organization that disrupts the market with technology and improves people’s lives through innovative solutions. Has experience in IT, CRM, business analysis, product development, management, digitalization, and customer service. Worked with both national and international customers in various languages (Swedish, English, Hindi, and Urdu). Positive, driven, and service-oriented.

Yousaf, Pakistani

Has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Information Systems at Uppsala University. Has experience as a Python developer in various IT sectors. Also worked on remote projects related to web automation, data engineering, and web development. Passionate about joining Salesforce.

Zaman, Pakistani

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and has excellent academic results. Has four years of experience as a software engineer. Focused mainly on Python and its libraries. Also completed projects related to web development. Interested in working with sustainable, innovative, and cutting-edge technologies. He is a fast learner, enthusiastic, and a team player. Excellent time management skills.

Meet the Copenhagen Winter 2023 Class

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 14:22:24 GMT

Copenhagen Winter 2023 ☃️

We are pleased to launch our first ever program in Denmark! Together with ARPEDIO , we are providing our Award-winning program to newcomers in Copenhagen for the first time.

“ARPEDIO is very proud to partner with Blue Road Academy and bring their Salesforce training program to Copenhagen for the very first time. We look very much forward to taking part in helping Copenhagen newcomers find their place in tech and make them valuable assets to any Salesforce employer. We see a strong demand for Salesforce-related competencies from our clients, and to us, this is a great opportunity to bring even more talent into the Salesforce ecosystem.” – Ulrik Monborg, CEO & Founder of ARPEDIO

Our program provides 20 classroom-based training sessions, covering all components of the Salesforce Administrator Exam. Emphasis will be on scenarios, team exercises, and industry best practices, totaling 100+ hours of classroom training and 60+ hours of e-learning. Additionally, the program includes sessions led by experienced Salesforce professionals focused on career development. Each participant is paired with a Salesforce employee as a mentor to guide them in planning their journey within Salesforce and honing their career goals.

Soheyla, Iranian

Holds MSc degree in business management. An achievement-oriented and detail-focused experienced business and data analyst with six years of experience in public and private enterprises. Has been involved in different parts and phases of business development and market research. Her soft skills are knowledge of different BI tools like Alteryx, Tableau, and PowerBI for analyzing and visualizing data. Highly collaborative team player seeking to further develop skills in an agile environment.

Yelyzaveta, Ukrainian

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology and Bioengineering. Has 1.5 years of experience as a graphic designer. Interested in tech companies. Her soft skills are creative thinking, conflict resolution, and teamwork.

Hanaa, Palestinian

Graduated from a Hack Your Future 36-week coding bootcamp. Obtained a JavaScript certificate from RediSchool. Worked as a photographer and videographer on various occasions and in various locations throughout Denmark. Eager to learn about and discover the world of technology, and she is committed to achieving her goal of finding a good job where she can put her skills to use.

Ashenafi, Ethiopian
Holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Rome, Tor Vergata. Has more than ten years of professional experience in accounting, finance, and management. Interested in the dynamic tech industry. Has the ability to adopt new soft skills in a short period of time.

Hema, Indian

Holds a Master's degree in Computer Applications from India. Completed web development course from Hack Your Future. Has experience with a start-up culture and working in a dynamic environment as a web developer. Interested in web development, technology, administration, and data analysis. Her soft skills are communication, teamwork, organization, and problem-solving.

Muhammed, Turkish

Studied Business Administration. Worked as an intern as an HR assistant in an IT firm. Interested in consulting firms due to the chance to gain experience in many different industries in a short period of time. His soft skills are teamwork and learning.

Oleksandra, Ukrainian

Has a BSc in International Economic Relationships. Her expertise areas include management assistant, event management, planning, and execution. Volunteered with IDCN, conducting career events and supporting Ukrainian refugees. Interested in IT firms. Her soft skills are positive attitude, stakeholder management, change communication, leadership in managing personnel, service-mindedness, customer orientation, problem solving, valuing teamwork, focusing on a lot of detail, and tech savvy.

Jyotsna, Indian

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Application and has a certificate in design and animation. Has experience with graphic designers in India and has done a few internships as a graphic designer at Copenhagen-based startups. Volunteered at Techbbq. Interested in information technology, network security, software development, e-commerce, and research and development in these areas. Her soft skills are work ethic, communication, teamwork, and adaptability.

Mehmet, Turkish

Graduated from Business Administration. Worked as a graphic designer for about 6 months in Turkey and as an accountant and sales representative for about 6 months in Denmark. Interested in becoming a business analyst. His soft skills are discipline, work ethic, creativity, teamwork, and time management.

Mehmet, Turkish

Has a Bachelor's degree in Security Science from the Police Academy. Has five years of experience in law enforcement and two years as a technical support and after-sales advisor. Interested in the tech industry. His soft skills are friendly, open-minded, a good listener, excellent communication skills, calm, and problem solving.

Perseverance: Mihreteab Mekonen

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 12:57:42 GMT

Perseverance

We start with the story of Mihreteab Mekonen , a chemistry teacher who took great risks in order to pursue freedom and autonomy in the UK.

The streets of Asmara, capital city of Eritrea

It took a tremendous amount of determination and strength, but Mihreteab Mekonen is finally on the verge of landing his first job in the Salesforce ecosystem. The journey that led him here was long and difficult, but Mihreteab always kept looking forward.

A decade of teaching

Back in Eritrea, Mihreteab found himself in the world of academia. For over a decade, he worked as a chemistry teacher at several high schools all over the country. He had a talent for chemistry and was even promoted to head teacher at one point of his career. After ten years of teaching, it was time for a career change. It also turned out to be the time to flee the country. Eritrea has one of the most oppressive regimes in the world and like many others, Mihreteab risked it all to leave.

The humble high school teacher was not afraid to take this risk. It took him multiple attempts to flee the country and in 2017, he finally managed to leave Eritrea behind. The regime has had a tight grip on its population for a long time and Mihreteab had to be in the national service as a soldier as well. At the time, he was still unaware there was an incredibly tough journey ahead. A journey that would take him four years to finally reach the United Kingdom. For extended periods of time, he had to sacrifice his freedom and autonomy in order to be safe in the future. Thus, Mihreteab had to walk, for days on end, almost starving to death. He also had to travel in overcrowded cars, packed with people; he had to cross a border in a small plastic boat, and; he had to hide inside trucks, trying not to be caught. These were some of the most difficult times of his life. On his way to the UK, he risked his life many times. However, even through the hardest times, going back was not an option.

In the UK, his fight for freedom was not over yet and he had to overcome a new set of obstacles. Simultaneously, he had to deal with a significant culture shock, being separated from his wife, handling an ongoing battle for the right paperwork and managing an unstable housing situation. Luckily, a positive change eventually came to his life.

Student on the right path

His wife, who participated in the Blue Road Academy program earlier, turned out to be a great source of inspiration for him. She introduced Mihreteab to the world of Salesforce and motivated him to study as hard as he could. It was not easy for him, since he had very little experience with IT. Back in the days when he was studying at the University of Asmara, he had ambitions to study computer science. However, he was allocated to the chemistry department. When he joined the Blue Road Academy program in London in the Winter of 2022, his technical skills were limited. He had to study hard and frequently go over the materials together with his wife. She ultimately brought him up to speed. "The moment I finished the exam, I saw I passed it. I couldn't believe my eyes! I was like, did I really get it?" He surprised himself, his wife, and his peers at Blue Road, but his devotion to Salesforce paid off.

After a number of rough years, he finally feels he is going in the right direction. “Blue Road Academy brought me on the right path. I can’t imagine where I would be without it. Salesforce is the plan, Salesforce is the goal.” He is currently far along in the hiring process at Capgemini. When he participated in the London program, he and his peers had the chance to build a good relationship with the company. On a number of occasions, they had the chance to visit Capgemini and see how Salesforce is applied in real life. Mihreteab was selected out of nine candidates to start working with them early 2023.

Looking ahead, he feels hopeful and optimistic. He is currently taking his first steps in the Salesforce ecosystem, and this time, it will be a journey he is eager to embark on. In the next few years, he envisions himself being a Senior Salesforce Solution Consultant. A position that will allow him to build a life together with his wife. Reunited, for good.

Accenture Germany X Blue Road Academy

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 12:10:56 GMT

Accenture partners with Blue Road Academy in supporting newcomers to launch their careers in the Salesforce ecosystem

Blue Road Academy is proud to announce our partnership with Accenture Germany, helping newcomers in Germany to learn digital skills, grow their network, and launch their Salesforce careers.

Blue Road Academy (formerly known as RefugeeForce) is an award-winning social enterprise on a mission to advance the careers of newcomers with Salesforce training, professional development, and direct connections with top employers. Together with our recruitment partners, we are creating a unique environment for newcomers to learn digital skills and technical leadership in order to bring new, world-class talent into the Salesforce ecosystem.

The partnership with Accenture

“We are thrilled to welcome Accenture Germany to the Blue Road Academy community as an official sponsor and Recruitment Partner through the Safe Futures Fund. Together we can enable hundreds of newcomers to launch their careers in the Salesforce ecosystem and improve their livelihoods and integration” said Gaspar Rodriguez, co-founder and Managing Director of Blue Road Academy.

Together, Blue Road Academy and Accenture will enable opportunities for newcomers in Germany. Their joint Salesforce expertise and understanding of the industry provide the perfect platform to upskill participants and launch their Salesforce career.

"In the market, we are observing a very strong call for Salesforce-related skills. This demand offers newcomers a possible career perspective that enables rapid integration into the host community," says Stephanie Hänsch, Managing Director of Accenture's Salesforce Business Group and initiator of the Blue Road Academy partnership.

Through its Corporate Citizenship programme, Accenture is committed to promoting educational equity and providing the skills needed to succeed, especially in tech careers. By becoming a "partner of Blue Road Academy, Accenture offers newcomers the best ways to thrive in the digital job market," says Hellen Fitsch, Accenture Corporate Citizenship Lead for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

With the support of nonprofit organizations and social enterprises, including the voluntary and pro-bono engagement of employees in educational and mentorship offerings, as well its commitment to creating diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, Accenture fosters a culture of care and purpose where everyone feels like they belong.

"One of our key values at Salesforce is equality. And this also means equal education for all. That's why initiatives like the Blue Road Academy are so important to us. And even more important for us is partnering with businesses that share the same values, like Accenture. Together we can increase the impact we have to offer equal chances to all and to grow talent for our ecosystem,” comments Markus Meukel, heading up the Partner & Alliances teams at Salesforce in Central Europe.

Looking ahead

As an impact-first organization, we continue to balance our intended social impact and our growing enterprise through our mission, our stakeholders, and our business practices. This allows us to build a sustainable organization with a diversified funding model.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with Accenture and featuring inspirational stories from the upcoming Blue Road Academy classes in Germany in 2023.

For updates about this partnership, follow our journey at www.blueroadacademy.com

Meet the Amsterdam Fall 2022 Class

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 10:35:56 GMT

Amsterdam Fall 2022 ��

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers.

For the first time, participants are enrolled in our Salesforce Core program and have the option to pursue an additional training focused on the Platform App Builder certification. The overall program includes 28 classroom-based technical training sessions covering all aspects of Salesforce, plus scenarios, team exercises, and best practices with over 140 hours of classroom training and 60 hours of e-learning. Participants will have the opportunity to achieve 3 Salesforce Certifications: Associate, Administrator, App Builder.

Our program also includes Career Training sessions delivered by Salesforce professionals. Participants are paired 1-on-1 with Salesforce employees as mentors to help them plan their path into the ecosystem and focus on their career path.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new talent to your Salesforce team?

Get in touch

Yelyzaveta, Ukrainian

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics. Gained professional experience by taking part in international internships in both Turkey and Slovakia. Decided to take her career in a different direction; therefore, started working as a customer service representative at Uber and as a marketing assistant at a pharmaceutical company called "Servier". Her soft skills are problem solving, stress management, working under pressure, teamwork, and time management.

Oleksandr, Ukrainian
Holds an MBA degree. Studied at Hillel coding school, where he took Python courses. Had a class in computer systems and engineering. Worked in a computer center where they build computers for offices and enterprises. Worked as a freelance photographer in a photography studio and a school. A big fan of automotive culture, heavy construction equipment and vintage items. In his various jobs where he worked with people, he discovered his most important qualities are openness, friendliness, and the ability to listen. His attention and dedication to his students made them develop and perform better. Has a curious personality and likes to delve into any situation and find the best possible path. Enjoys learning new things and finding ways to use them in his work and life.

Ibrahem, Syrian

Studied IT—doing online courses and earning certificates in project management, product management, blockchain marketing, and automation flow (email marketing, customer registration, and so on). After working as a sailor for a while, he shifted to marketing and started building e-commerce websites (no-coding). Had to make another career change in his life, and he started working as an electrician and order picker. He is interested in commerce, education, and utilities. Good at problem-solving, teamwork, time management, self-motivation, and creativity.

Rabia, Turkish

Graduated from the program in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design. Holds a Master's degree in Design from Design Museums. Worked on designing consumer goods for a design company. During her master's, also worked as a teaching assistant. Currently, is doing a management PhD and works as a freelance design researcher. Would like to focus on cultural and creative industries. Has a strong sense of empathy and is very good at connecting and engaging with people. Likes to organize tasks and design working processes.

Mohammed, Yemeni
Graduated from Kaab Bin Rabeah High School. Lived in India for a while, where he has earned many certificates and diplomas: Foundation English (2016); English Advanced (2016); English Advanced (2017); IT for Beginners (2017); and; Database (2017). In Saudi Arabia, worked at 2P at customer service and at Aljafel Hospital and Altawuniya Insurance as data entry. In the Netherlands, worked at PostNL as a postman. Interested in the fields of computer science and IT. His soft skills include creativity, time management, conflict resolution, and self-motivation. Also, the capacity to work under pressure and the capability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Abdurrahman, Yemeni
Holds a postgraduate MBA course and an English Bachelor’s degree. Managed to work as a trainer, manager, academic advisor, monitor and evaluation officer, education officer, translator, and teaching assistant. Has sharpened his leadership skills in providing guidance, instruction, and direction to learners of various age groups. Currently, is setting up an administrative position shadow for himself in Salesforce and is working on developing the essential employability skills in the fields of IT and commerce. Based on his work experience, he has made remarkable progress in strengthening his leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills. He can also effortlessly manage to create a positive work atmosphere, motivating himself and the workforce.

Blaise, Congolese (DRC)
Holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Digital Marketing professional certifications. Worked in an agency and for a multinational e-commerce company in the Netherlands with different roles and responsibilities like campaign manager, business development support, and as a country marketer. An aspiring entrepreneur with ambitions to continue learning, growing, and making a difference. As a creative and data-driven individual, he is passionate about research, data, and problem-solving. You can call him a "solutionist''. Enjoys building web applications with no-code solutions and is looking forward to starting a career as a Salesforce administrator. Excited to leverage his experience and knowledge to pursue a new career in data management as well as identify patterns and trends that can enhance business opportunities and drive growth.

Yasmin, Somali
Has a Bachelor of Business degree. Has experience working in health insurance and also keeping track of the administration and making monthly reports to the managing director. Prepared accounts for payments received and purchases made by the organization. In addition, communicated with customers and handled complex questions. Furthermore, provided monthly feedback to her team members for improvement. Interested in the social work industry and management. Has strong communication skills, organizational skills and flexibility.

Nashwan, Yemeni
Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Master's program in Geotechnical Engineering. Completed two internships on construction sites. First internship was at the Directorate of Construction and Technical Works at Selcuk University. Second internship was at a building inspection company. A self-sufficient student and was working as a sales assistant at the time. Contributed to lots of voluntary activities. For instance, he was the general secretary of the Yemeni student union during his bachelor's. Also an active member of Bina’a charity, an organization that aims to help poor families in Yemen. He hopes to find a job that combines his civil engineering background with Salesforce. Skilled in leadership, communication, and problem-solving.

Saif, Yemeni
Has a background in information technology and business administration. Used to work as a project manager for a number of NGOs. Interested in working in oil industries and NGOs. Good at project management, team management, and networking, and is a very committed person.

Meet the Groningen Fall 2022 Class

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 12:28:45 GMT

Groningen Fall 2022 ��

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new talent to your Salesforce team?

Get in touch

Idris, 36

Has been concentrating on web design and Salesforce since 2021. Specializes in student coaching and educational counseling. Wants to gain Salesforce experience in the education sector and become an expert to provide consultancy in this industry.

Yahya, 36

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Imam Muhammad Bin Saud and a Diploma degree in Cisco Network Academy from New Horizons Institute. Worked for a telecom company in Saudi Arabia called Mobily, with different responsibilities in the network department. A professional with nearly 12+ years of experience in network design, infrastructure, technical support, network maintenance, and project management. Interested in the area where he can use his network experience with Salesforce administration, which will add value to his career path and give him more opportunities in the business market.

Hehsam, 26

Holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth in Pune, India, and is presently pursuing a Master’s in International Business and Management at Hanze University in Groningen, the Netherlands. Has a variety of business backgrounds and has worked with several organizations. Formerly worked as a client adviser for the municipality of Groningen, Netherlands, and is eager to use his skills and expertise to pursue a new career in data management. His strong desire to gain more experience and grow in his career drives him to work hard every day.

Abdulrazzaq, 36

Received his PhD degree in Software Engineering from the University Putra Malaysia (UPM) in 2021. Received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Information Technology (majoring in Software Engineering) from the Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). Research interests include software customization, software quality, cloud services, and software as a service. His research has appeared in many peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. Has considerable experience in qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Moreover, worked in IT and software engineering fields on an in-house, remote, and freelance basis.

Sami, 46

Bachelor's degrees in Chemistry from Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey and Sociology, Eskisehir, Turkey. Worked for 22 years as a chemistry teacher, chemistry book editor, writer and designer, teacher trainer, chemistry curriculum specialist, educational coach, and educational principal of a school. Has published high school level chemistry subjects and textbooks in Turkish. Is married and has two lovely children. Speaks Turkish (native), English (B2), and Dutch (B1). Lifelong learner.

Zeyad, 29

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Applied Earth Science and a diploma in Business Administration Management. Worked for more than one year as a sales manager for Aswaq Alkhalig and is looking to start a new career as a salesforce administrator. Fascinated with the power of the salesforce and is eager to master his knowledge, expertise, and passion for data to manage and identify patterns and trends that can enhance business opportunities and drive growth.

Waleed, 32

As an ambitious and hard-working individual, is often recognized for his commitment and analytical skills. Appreciated for his team player skills and ability to handle multiple priorities simultaneously. Enjoys problem-solving by collaborating with stakeholders from various functional backgrounds in communications and conflict resolution. Holds a Master's degree in Economics. Work experience: Assistant Executive Director-Diamond Global Service-Malaysia. Country Representative-Global Group UK-Part Time-Malaysia. Business Development Executive-Shihanh Company, Saudi Arabia.

Ruhama, 23

Extremely passionate and active person. Attended a university where she studied clinical pharmacy for two years and did an online course in IT in Business. A superb communicator, she is seeking a well-run, powerful institution that can help her advance her understanding of salesforce developer to become a more effective salesforce professional.

Anas, 42

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Architecture. Worked for a multinational architectural company with different responsibilities in drawing, designing, and QA&QC. Has programming experience in PHP, Python, and MySQL. Excited to leverage his experience and knowledge to pursue a new career in data management as well as identify patterns and trends that can enhance business opportunities and drive growth. An aspirant with coding experience looking to start a new career as a salesforce developer

Hatice, 33

A self-motivated, outgoing individual with the capability to work in an international environment, effectively managing multiple projects simultaneously, detail-oriented, and well-organized. Holds a Bachelor's degree in the English Language and Literature Department at Boaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey. Worked in China as a government officer for 2 years. Dealt with information security. For her career, wants to combine her working experience with her Salesforce career. As an eager person to learn new things, she got interested in Salesforce.

RefugeeForce announces new name and brand: Blue Road Academy

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 13:35:03 GMT

“RefugeeForce” is now Blue Road Academy —because it is not our story to tell…

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Formerly known as "RefugeeForce", today we are proud and excited to share our new name and brand with the world: Blue Road Academy.

Humble beginnings. What began as an evening volunteering project has blossomed into a global movement, paving the way for a new way of thinking and interacting with our community. We can be proud of what we have accomplished so far but we are just getting started. In this spirit, we have set ambitious goals over the coming years and believe that building a strong brand is an indispensable part of our journey.

Words matter. Since 2019, we have worked to create lasting social impact through our program for the people whom we serve. However, we recognize that many still face challenges due to a highly stigmatized landscape, discrimination in hiring practices, and misconceptions about talent. This is why we, like many organizations, also choose to remove the word ‘refugee’ from our brand and materials. We believe that it is not our role to broadly define our participants, but to amplify who they want to be and be as a partner in their future.

“We embrace change and progress. Our programs and our organization are dedicated to incredibly resilient individuals who are faced with a complex transformation. We have always shared this burden with them. With this re-brand, we take an important step in our evolution in line with our mission. Change is not always easy, but we are fully up for this challenge.”

- Co-Founder & Managing Director, Gaspar Rodriguez

Impact first. As Blue Road Academy, our mission remains unchanged - advancing the careers of our participants with technical training, professional development, and direct connections with top employers. To our participants, we offer an unparalleled environment for learning digital skills, technical leadership, and professional development. To our recruitment partners and customers, we continue to help them find motivated talent they would not have come across otherwise.

We look forward to this new chapter so that we may best represent who we are and also our community of participants, alumni, partners, donors, customers, trainers, mentors, and friends.

Meet the Berlin Summer 2022 Class

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 15:51:29 GMT

Berlin Summer 2022 ��

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new talent to your Salesforce team?

Get in touch

Christiana, 35, Ghanaian

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Master's degree in Finance from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana). Worked for Access Bank Ghana Ltd in various capacities in Operations and Marketing, rising through the ranks to become Assistant Head of Operations. Excited to leverage her experience and knowledge to pursue a new career in customer relationship management and data management. An ambitious individual with 6+ years of experience in the banking industry, looking to start a new career as a Salesforce Administrator. Eager to leverage her expertise, knowledge and passion for data and customer relationship management to manage and optimise the Salesforce ecosystem. She is also looking forward to identifying patterns and trends that can enhance business opportunities and help organizations achieve their set objectives as well as higher growth.

Anna, 27, Ukrainian

Has a Bachelor's degree in Architecture. In the last 5 years, worked in interior design and architecture, with diversified experience within all stages of projects. In addition, has managed the full production cycle of designed products and their sales worldwide. Would like to work in the creative or tech industries, helping companies to set up, optimize, and improve their business processes.

Kayode, 39, Nigerian

Had a national diploma as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from The Polytechnic Ibadan and Olabisi Onabanjo University, respectively, in Nigeria . During his undergraduate time, he had the privilege of taking courses in marketing and advertising extensively. Has also worked as a journalist for both the print and broadcast media in Nigeria . Had the privilege of teaching journalism at the Oxford Business Institute, Manzini, Swaziland. Has just ventured into a salesforce career because of his curiosity to learn the latest trends in CRM technology and to put to use his marketing and communication knowledge he had gained in the course of his previous studies, to help businesses to sell, service, market, analyze, and connect with their various customers.

Sima, 35, Iranian

A lifelong learner who believes that there are always new things she can learn to be a little better than the person she was yesterday. Has a Bachelor's Degree in Software Engineering and a Master's Degree in AI & Robotics. Passionate about the cloud and cloud providers.

Hadi, 38, Yemeni

Hadi holds a Bachelor’s degree in MIS Management Information Systems. Has worked in different companies in Yemen and Saudi Arabia as a logistic assistant and in the marketing field. Excited about improving his knowledge and experience in network marketing, such as Salesforce, which will help him find a new way to start a new career.

Iryna, 36, Ukrainian

Has a Specialist degree in Engineering Mining Equipment Project Manager from Ukraine's National Mining University. Worked in a mining enterprise. Last year, was self-employed managing her shop, dealing with sales and marketing, and would be excited to leverage her experience and knowledge to pursue a new career in data management. An ambitious person with experience in sales and marketing, looking to start a new career as a salesforce administrator. Has an aspiration to use her expertise, knowledge, and passion for data to manage and optimize the Salesforce ecosystem. Ready to identify, solve issues and find solutions to expand business opportunities and drive growth.

Wossen, 44, Ethiopian

Has a theology degree and studied business administration for two years at University. Following that, worked as a manager for his import firm for about 17 years.

Mohammad, 33, Syrian

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Informatics and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Information System Management at TU Berlin. Has six years of working experience in the operations and customer service sectors, have worked in different countries such as Syria, Turkey, and Germany. Ready to start a new career as a Salesforce Administrator.

Richard, 34, Ghanaian

Holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Business Administration (Accounting) from the University of Ghana and a Master’s degree in International and Development Economics from HTW Berlin University of Applied Sciences. Dedicated sales, marketing, and customer relationship management professional with over 6 years of experience in the banking, fast moving, and consumer goods industries. Excellent reputation for resolving clients’ problems, improving customer satisfaction, managing clients’ data, and driving overall operational improvements. Seeking to leverage his sales and marketing experience to improve business processes and efficiency as a Salesforce Administrator.

Meet the Arnhem Summer 2022 Class

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 10:11:54 GMT

Arnhem Summer 2022 ��

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new talent to your Salesforce team?

Get in touch

Abdulbaki, 28, Turkish

Abdulbaki has a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration. Worked as a mid-level manager in a governmental agency before leaving his country for political reasons. To find a new job, he is happy to have found Salesforce in his new life journey in the Netherlands.

Abdulmalek, 28, Turkish

Abdulmalek has a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy. Worked as a pharmacist for a year. He is now exerting efforts to increase his knowledge in Salesforce on a daily basis. He is enthusiastic to start a career as a Salesforce administrator in the Netherlands. He speaks Arabic and English.

Ahmed, 44, Yemeni

Ahmed has as a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Calgary in Canada, a Master's degree in Business Administration from IUTT in Yemen, and three years of Ph.D. studies in Management at the University of Kuala Lumpur. A versatile and results-driven management professional with more than 15 years of work experience in various local and international organizations and companies, who is enthusiastic about leveraging his solid academic background and vast work experience in finance, management, business development, and research and analysis to pursue a new career as a Salesforce Administrator/Consultant to optimize the Salesforce ecosystem.

Aidaros, 36, Yemeni

Aidaros has a certificate from an intensive training program in accounting, and he also has a certificate in sales management from the Yemen-Soft program in Yemen. In addition, was working for First-Dress Foundation in Saudi Arabia in the accounting department for three years and working for the same foundation in the sales department for four years. An ambitious person who is looking to start a new career as a Salesforce administrator. Looking forward to getting a consultant certification with Salesforce. Eager to leverage his expertise, knowledge, and passion for data to manage and optimize the Salesforce ecosystem, as well as to identify patterns and trends that can enhance business opportunities and drive growth.

Faisal, 28, Palestinian

Faisal has a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Jordan (2017). Worked as a project engineer for one year and a half. Then moved to business development and dealt with various sectors in GCC. Finally, he worked as an overall project supervisor in a financial company where he managed timely closure over 30 projects within a year. Keen in providing consultancies for companies to achieve their goals.

Gamil, 37, Yemeni

Gamil is a telecom engineer with almost 2 years of experience. He boosted his education with a master’s degree in Engineering Management in 2018 from UPM Malaysia. He worked as a project manager and team leader as a volunteer between 2003 and 2012. In 2013, started working in broadcasting engineering for TV channels, as a branch manager for a bank and a projects and tenders’ manager at a private company. The year 2020 was significant because it was the year he established a new company abroad from scratch, where he was appointed as a managing director and engineering manager. Fluent in English and certified by IELTS in 2016; he is also learning Dutch and reached level B1.

Hana, 34, Iranian

Hana has an associate degree in Information and Communication Technology and a Bachelor’s degree in Professional Simultaneous English Interpretation from Jahad Daneshgahi University of Applied Science and Technology. A student at Hogeschool Utrecht. Her major is Creative Business. Worked in IT services for two years and in marketing and sales fields for more than five years. For over eight years, worked as a senior cabin crew on one of Iran's largest airlines. An ambitious team player, eager to learn new technologies and learn Salesforce. She is keen in Salesforce administrator and consultant positions.

Kamil, 37, Turkish

Kamil a successful international journalist with more than 10 years of professional experience. Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Linguistics, which makes him a great language teacher with classroom practice. Originally from Turkey, he swam in the deep waters of politics, culture, and business through 15 years of Brazilian history. Established a restaurant from scratch and turned it into the best ethnic restaurant in Sao Paulo. Seeking a job in the Salesforce ecosystem that will allow him to sharpen, combine, and upgrade his skills for a medium-to-large IT firm. A driven self-starter, fast-learner and enthusiastic person who believes in the magic of words and the power of codes.

Mahmoud, 39, Yemeni

Mahmoud holds of a PhD in Photonic Engineering, a Master of Engineering Science, and a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Malaya, Malaysia. Furthermore, had more than two years of working experience on fiber lasers as a postdoctoral researcher in Malaysia. Has experience working with all-fiber optical components and is familiar with fusion splicers, optical spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, autocorrelations, RF spectrums, and power meters. Excellent skills in executing all-fiber assembly systems. His greatest strength is planning projects, which enables him to make improvements to ultrafast fiber lasers. Ready to set a new goal and start a new career as a salesforce administrator. He is seeking a position in the industry where his knowledge, skills, and passion for sales could be utilized and enhanced for future career progress.

Mohammed, 39, Yemeni

Mohammed holds an Advance Digital Marketing Expert certificate from London and International Studies in Dubai, as well as a Bachelor of Science Administration Major in Accounting from Aden University in Yemen, and 13 years of experience in the aviation industry with Emirates Group Airlines in Dubai Airports as Ground Operations and Customer Services Team Leader.His most recent position was as Digital Marketing and Relationship Manager in Dubai. Seeks an opportunity to gain experience with Salesforce in order to launch a new career in salesforce administration where he could apply his professional knowledge, skills, and abilities in a more challenging and rewarding workplace to achieve his long-term objectives.

Selman, 29, Turkish

Political problems in Turkey pushed him to leave his country and everything behind. Has a Bachelor's degree in law. He is also a student in the Economics and Finance Master's Program. Worked as a lawyer for three years. Now he is trying to accustom used to his new life. The thing he learned the most during his whole educational life is that there is no end to learning. With this motto, he aims to continue learning to increase his knowledge every day by being open to learning.

Ömer, 39, Turkish

Ömer has a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Karadeniz Technical University. Worked for 13 years as a chemistry teacher, head of guidance and consulting, director of studies, and vice director in secondary schools in Turkey and East Africa. His mother tongue is Turkish, and he can also speak B2 level English and B1 level Dutch. Wants to start a new career as a salesforce administrator. He believes it will be great to combine his communication skills, which he developed through his work experience, with salesforce knowledge.

Meet the Berlin Spring 2022 Class

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 16:01:03 GMT

Berlin Spring 2022 ��

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new talent to your Salesforce team?

Get in touch

Abdulrahman (38, Yemeni)

Holds a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence from Rovira Virgili University, Spain 2019. Received his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from University of Jordan in 2008 and a Master's degree with excellence in Computer Science from Jordan University of Science and Technology in 2012. Worked as a lecturer at the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology at University of Science and Technology, Yemen.

Shireen (31, Iraqi)

A Berlin-based Iraqi professional with a technical and Social Sciences background. Has experience in organizational development and nonprofits. Passionate about technology and improving access to information. Has been focusing on Salesforce technology and how to help users make the best out of it.

Wahid (39, Pakistani)

Holds a Bachelor’s in International Relations. A team player with background in Computer
Network Technology and Basic knowledge of Web Design & Development ( Html5+Css3+Javascript ). Highly motivated to continue learning and building a new Career in IT field.

Sarab (44, Syrian)

Has 15 years of Multinational experience in Customer Service, marketing and Sales, Dealing with fast-paced environments. Energetic and dedicated front desk/ Direct Sales professional with Well-versed in anticipating and determining visitors’ needs and fulfilling them appropriately.

Ahmed (30, Yemeni)

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Currently pursuing his PhD in Technology Management. Has experience at the bank as a customer service and ATM cards specialist.

Eyad (35, Syrian)

Studied Information Systems Management at TU Berlin. Has been a volunteer in three different organizations: Refugio Berlin: representing the project in events, conferences, and the media. Give Something Back to Berlin: advisory board member in addition to being a community member and representative and speaker. ReDi School of Digital Integration: as an Ambassador of the school and participated in events and was an event moderator once.

Nadiya (39, Ukrainian)

Holds a Master’s degree in French language and literature and professional experience as a French lecturer for students and a Translator from French to Russian and Ukrainian and vice versa. Has worked in the support of customers and sales in French speaking market, having lived for a year in France.

Abdulaziz (41, Yemeni)

Holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Has 15 years of practical experience in various fields in Yemen. Language: Arabic, English and basic German.

Frahnaz (23, Afghan)

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the Management Information System department of Kabul University. Has professional experience in Entrepreneurship and Education. Has been working within different sectors, private and public sectors back in Afghanistan.

Chukwuka (33, Nigerian)

Has background a business/hospitality with some knowledge in UX Design and Data Analytics. Looking forward to learning about Salesforce and broadening career opportunities.

Meet the London Spring 2022 Class

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 15:50:38 GMT

London Spring 2022 ��‍♀️

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers.

Alongside our comprehensive technical training program, LDN Apprenticeship s provides Career Kickstarter sessions covering a broad range of topics including CV writing, Communication Skills, Building a Winning LinkedIn Profile and many more.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new talent to your Salesforce team?

Get in touch

Abdullah (26, Yemeni)

A civil engineer who always strives to link physical life with modern technology. Has a clear, logical mind with a practical approach to problem-solving and a drive to see things through to completion with a responsible approach.

Yasemin (33, Turkish)

Has 10 years' experience of teaching Mathematics including 5 years of experience as a head teacher. Interested in teaching, innovations, information technology and environment.

Abobakr (37, Yemeni)

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and plans to pursue a Master's in Digital Media. Has 10 years of working experience in the Banking sector at the biggest Islamic bank in UAE. Started a side business developing Mobile applications in Dubai with almost 4 years, learning different areas like digital marketing, UI/UX, database, sales, products SKU etc.

Senol (41, Turkish)

A graduate of Electronics and Business Administration. Has 20 years of graphic design and marketing experience. Worked as a graphic designer for the brands LOREAL, TOTAL, REMAX, IPSOS, HOTPOINT. Volunteers in UNICEF, AFC Wimbledon Football Team.

Jawdat ( British )

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and two Master's Degrees in Marketing. Highly experienced in marketing via both traditional and online campaigns from brand inception to establishment in broadcasting (and other industries). Has both innate knowledge as well as training and experience in understanding Arab audiences and delivering successful targeted online media campaigns across multiple platforms.

Ali (38, Turkish)

Studied Economics and Brand Communications at University in Turkey. Worked in digital marketing with multinational companies. Has a lot of experience in this field by working in different countries such as USA, Turkey, UAE, Brazil and UK.

Yeliz (36, Turkish)

A passionate, energetic, reliable, loving, self-motivated and qualified Montessori Directress with

good computer skills. Has a passion for teaching and always keeps good communication with

children.

Mohammed (38, Yemeni)

A tech enthusiast by profession and passion. Has a diverse career between different tech domains with a focus on innovation. Become a certified in Microsoft data entry at age 13 and has certified in different technologies since. Has been accredited several trophies and many high performer appreciation letters from employers in Telecom industry.

Juliet (42, Cameroonian)

Works as a part-time office coordinator with the British Refugee Council. Has an ambition to pursue a career in digital transformation as a Salesforce Scrum Master/Business Analyst.

Birsen (40, Turkish)

A graphics and art teacher. Resilient, positive, and calm professional art teacher who is able to maximize student’s artistic achievements. Strong experience and skills, such as flexibility, organization, teamwork and communication. People-oriented and currently volunteering.

Kamal (33, Syrian)

An ambitious individual with a passion for learning who takes responsibility for his own personal development, continually evaluating and upgrading his skills. Aiming to set a strong foundation for his career.

Mustafa (37, Turkish)

Holds Master’s Degree in English Language Teaching. Worked as a teacher in different countries for 14 years. Has decided to pursue a new career in Salesforce.

Meet the Eindhoven Spring 2022 Class

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 15:27:31 GMT

Eindhoven Spring 2022 ��

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new talent to your Salesforce team?

Get in touch

Wissam (29, Syrian)

Has studied accounting in Syria. Has work experience as an accountant and in marketing. Was a user of Salesforce for 1 year. Wissam was a football player in Syria and also played in Weert, NL. Is now learning Dutch.

Arife (30, Turkish)

Has 4 years of professional experience as a primary school teacher. Wants to start a new life with a new job. Has a passion to learn new things and is a friendly and hardworking person.

Tareq (36, Yemeni)

Holds a Bachelor's and Master’s degree in Computer Science. Has ten years of experience in the Information Technology sector as an IT Engineer.

N. Sena (25, Turkish)

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Programming. Studied computer engineering software (web programming) in secondary school. Is keen to advance her career in the field of technology and software development. Has been living in the Netherlands since September 2021 in Maastricht her family.

Şeyma (37, Turkish)

Has graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Russian language and literature. Is always willing to learn and likes to work with other people. Believes it's much easier to achieve something when everyone works together and communicates well.

Yousra (37, Sudanese)

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and a Master's degree in Water Science and Engineering. A quick learner and can easily put what learning into practice. Enjoys meeting new people especially if they are from different cultures.

Emad (32, Yemeni)

Studied English literature and was forced to leave his country before he could complete his bachelor's degree. Has professional experience as a teacher and in sales. He is eager to learn a new skill and devote all his attention to mastering the Salesforce platform.

Melek (38, Turkish)

Studied in the faculties of Theology, Sociology and Social Work. Has worked in different professions such as photoshop design, accounting and teaching. She has extensive experience in living and working in different countries of the world. Since 2019, she has been charting a new path for her life and career in the Netherlands with her 4 year old son and husband.

Mashal (22, Yemeni)

Loves programming and the IT sector. Has been in The Netherlands for two years. He is now trying to get up and look for an opportunity to build a new and happy life.

Zeina (39, Syrian)

Worked and studied in Syria until 2011. Studied English literature and psychology. Moved to the Netherlands in 2015 and is living in Den Bosch with her dog Lily. Loves animals, music, nature, reading, spirituality and is passionate about travelling and meeting new people from different cultures.

Hameeda (36, Yemeni)

Has 13 years of experience in the Administration field. Worked as office manager in Yemen and then moved to work with national and international organizations. Work skills and personal development such as program management, communication and leadership skills.

Meet the Amsterdam Spring 2022 Class

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 15:05:09 GMT

Amsterdam Spring 2022 ��

Our Award-winning program provides knowledge, community, and employment, with a focus on building Salesforce careers.

We provide an intensive 6 week program in Amsterdam to highly motivated and talented refugee participants. The program includes 20 classroom-based technical training sessions covering all aspects of the Salesforce Administrator Exam, plus scenarios, team exercises, and best practices with over 100 hours of classroom training. It also includes Career Training sessions delivered by Salesforce employees and a professional panels of Salesforce Administrators, Consultants, and Developers working in the ecosystem. Participants are paired 1-on-1 with Salesforce mentors to help them plan their path into the ecosystem and focus on their Certification exam.

�� ✨ Are you looking to add new talent to your Salesforce team?

Get in touch

Cemal (36, Turkish)

Holds a degree in Business Management. Has worked in the Turkish Foreign Service for several years. Is an amateur musician, a gamer, and a cinema-lover.

Furkan (27, Turkish)

Graduated from military academy, worked as QA engineer in 2 different projects (CRM and Fleet Domain). Worked in frontend, backend, database and mobile test areas. Knows automation tools.

Anna (28, Ukrainian)

Has a background in HR and Education (Master's Degree). For two years she managed the men's fashion brand "Shirts.ua", which she founded with her friend in Ukraine. At work, she values structure, transparency and a goal-oriented approach. In the fall of 2021, she signed up with Trailhead and started archiving the Salesforce Fundamental Expeditioner rank.

Sara (34, Yemeni)

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering. Has completed level A1 in Dutch. Has 2 years of work experience as IT administration and in the Yemen Democracy and Election Network (YDEN).

Lida (37, Iranian)

Holds a Bachelor of Science degree in IT (Evaluated as HBO IT Engineering). Has over 20 years of professional experience.

Abdulkadir (29, Turkish)

Worked as a key account manager and sales representative with SAP. Prefers to work closely with people/customers and is very motivated to work in Sales and Service. Has level B1 Dutch.

Amar (29, Syrian)

Experienced Business Development Specialist bringing forth valuable industry experience and a passion for management. Dedicated team leader with the ability to effectively manage and achieve project goals, leveraging my complex understanding of systems engineering concepts. With a well-rounded knowledge and 3+ years of experience in E-Commerce and digital marketing.

Salem (28, Yemeni)

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and additional certificates in Project Management and Marketing. Passionate about continuous improvement, technology solutions, and business analysis.

Olesia (31, Ukrainian)

Has a professional background in retail and commercial departments where she was responsible for inventory, purchases, and sales efficiency. She is an eager person, highly interested in learning new digital skills. She aims to leverage her sales background to successfully jump into the Salesforce ecosystem.

Esra (26, Yemeni)

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Does a lot of voluntary work in order to put the knowledge she has learned into practice. She also enjoys being in groups especially with those who have different thoughts and knowledge to keep learning. Esra strives to be a better version of herself by finding new possibilities opportunity to grow.

Mohammed (32, Yemeni)

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Information Technology. Has 4 years of experience in finance and treasury departments. He has been in The Netherland for 3 years and speaks Arabic, English and Dutch.

Rawan (29, Yemeni)

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business management. Has experience in

Administration and management. Has been in The Netherlands for 1 year and is learning the Dutch language.

RefugeeForce X Merkle

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 07:28:58 GMT

Merkle partners with RefugeeForce to support refugees launching their careers in the

Salesforce ecosystem

Originally published by Merkle EMEA on 29 March 2022.

London, UK - Merkle, a leading technology-enabled, data-driven, customer experience management (CXM) company and part of dentsu, has announced its partnership with RefugeeForce, helping refugees to learn digital skills, grow their network, and launch their Salesforce careers.

RefugeeForce is an independent provider of Salesforce training and have been part of Salesforce’s Talent Alliance since 2018. Through its employee volunteering initiatives, Salesforce offers mentors for the programme. The programme provides free training to refugees who are building a new life in their adopted home. Merkle is partnering with the organisation to contribute funding for over 60 highly educated refugees and to hire new talent.

RefugeeForce educates refugees and helps them start their Salesforce career through personalised programs, with 1-on-1 mentorship, job coaching, and network expansion. The foundation aims to change the perception of organisations and the public about the experience and skills that former refugees bring when building a new life in their adopted home.

Together RefugeeForce and Merkle will enable opportunities for refugees in Germany and the UK, with plans to extend this initiative throughout the EMEA region. Their joint Salesforce expertise and understanding of the industry provides the perfect platform to upskill participants and launch their Salesforce career.

“We are thrilled to welcome Merkle to the RefugeeForce community as an official EU Recruitment Partner” said Gaspar Rodriguez, co-founder of RefugeeForce.

He adds: “In response to the recent crisis in Ukraine, it is now more important than ever to help refugees settle in their host countries while preparing pathways towards employment. As a global movement helping refugees get their lives back on track across the EU, we are committed to supporting all individuals who are forced to flee their homes. Latest UN estimates show that nearly 2.5 million refugees have left Ukraine, of which more than 100,000 have settled in nearby Germany. To support in the best and most efficient way, we aim to scale up our training program in Germany, UK and the Netherlands to support hundreds of additional participants. We have created the Safe Futures Fund to provide stability and employment over the long term. Help us create Safe Futures for those who need it."

Ben Gott, practice lead, data & martech EMEA, SVP said

“As a business leader we have tools at our disposal to help those most in need. Understanding how can be difficult though, until you find a team like RefugeeForce. I look forward to a long and productive partnership and taking another small step towards diversity in my team and serving the society we live in. All credit to Gaspar, Lean and the Refugee Force team for showing up.”

Blue Road Academy X Dept

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:53:15 GMT

Dept becomes official partner of Blue Road Academy

and deepens its Salesforce program

Originally published by Emerce on Thursday 27 January 2022

AMSTERDAM, January 27, 2022 – RefugeeForce wants to create a global movement to help former refugees launch their careers in the Salesforce ecosystem. Dept is aware of the disadvantaged position of newcomers in the Netherlands and sees the talent of this group. Dept is therefore a Recruitment Partner of RefugeeForce, which means that Dept can attract new talent from the program and also supports it financially.

RefugeeForce educates former refugees and helps them start their Salesforce career through personalized programs, with 1-on-1 mentorship, job coaching and network expansion. The foundation aims to change the perception of organizations and the public about the experience and skills that former refugees bring to build a new life in their new homeland. As part of Dept's Good Company vision , the digital agency has entered into an official partnership after working with RefugeeForce for several years. The digital agency is growing strongly in the Salesforce field and the program offers opportunities to bring in additional technical specialists. Caspar Heydendael, lead marketing automation & CRM at Dept:

“We are extremely excited about our official partnership with RefugeeForce. We can't wait to

strengthen our Salesforce team with valuable additions from the program.”

“We are delighted to welcome Dept as an official EU Recruitment Partner,” said Gaspar Rodriguez, Co-Founder of RefugeeForce. “Not only does Dept want to do good, but they are also coming to the table with financial and in-kind support that will enable us to grow the program and reach more former refugees with a distance to the labor market. We love working with ambitious organizations like Dept who want to build diversity and create strong, in-house teams.”

“It's great to see partners investing in the future of the success of our customers and in the future of people in the tech industry,” said Robin de Leeuw, senior manager industries & partners at Salesforce . “Together with RefugeeForce, Dept is working on a fantastic initiative to give people a chance to be successful and build a new life. At Salesforce, we support this immensely and it reflects our core values in how we want to grow talent together with partners.”

Dept is a digital agency for creativity, technology and data. We help our clients build and accelerate their digital business by developing leading digital products, services and campaigns. In the Netherlands, our team of 600 Depsters proudly works every day for wonderful brands such as bol.com , Eneco, Bugaboo, ABN AMRO, Univé insurance and De Nederlandse Loterijen.

Meet the Winter 2022 London Participants

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:01:23 GMT

Launch London 2022 ��

�� The LAUNCH London Program provides motivated refugee status holders living in the Stride London boroughs (Lewisham, Lambeth, Wandsworth, and Southwark) in-demand digital skills, helps them find full-time roles and apprenticeships in the digital sector, and ultimately improves their livelihoods and social integration. During 2022, we will provide training for 30 participants across multiple cohorts.

Alongside our comprehensive technical training program, LDN Apprenticeships will provide Career Kickstarter sessions covering a broad range of topics including CV writing, Communication Skills, Building a Winning LinkedIn Profile and many more.

In collaboration with Capgemini UK, employee volunteers are leading "Friday Fundamentals" sessions focused on actual business use cases, Salesforce careers, Agile project management, and how Salesforce projects are run on a day to day basis.

�� Are you keen to join the next cohort?

Ala (36, Yemeni)

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, a Master's in Information Technology, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Computer Vision. Has 7 years of work experience, the last of which as a disaster information management officer at the Red Crescent (Red Cross) in Yemen.

Lumai (28, Syrian)

A solid technical background and a passion for sales and helping people solve business problems. Previous work experience in Sales and Telecommunications Engineering, now aiming to become a Salesforce Consultant.

Nouh (21, Sudanese)

Community activist involved with the Young Citizens project as a volunteer ambassador for young people aged 16-25 - has had the honor of meeting Queen Elizabeth II in recognition for his work. Also awarded the Princess Diana award in 2019. Ready to start his career in the digital sector.

Mohamed (36, Syrian)

Previous experience with Salesforce as a business user with Service Cloud and Case management. Currently working in fitness training and in sales but really sees a career in Salesforce ahead.

Mihreteab Mekonen (38, Eritrean)

Holds a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Asmara. Was a high school chemistry and math teacher, eventually promoted to high school director. Inspired by his wife (RF Program Alum) to focus on Salesforce. Driven to change his career to the fast-growing digital marketing environment.

Waleed (49, Yemeni)

Recently completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Management (School of Business, Economics, and Informatics) at Birkbeck University of London. Holds an MBA from Swiss Business School. Prior to the UK, last professional experience was as a Business Development Manager in Dubai with one of the five top business groups in the UAE.

Ozge (39, Turkish)

A rich background of 17+ years in Education as a teacher of English and Turkish. Additionally, in guidance counselling with various learner groups and contexts as a teacher, vice principal, and teacher trainer in four different countries. A certified teacher trainer and educational coach. Has never stopped learning and has been dreaming to combine personal background, experience, and skills with Salesforce.

Mukamambo (45, Zambian)

Holds a degree in Human Resource Management from the University of Greenwich and has worked in Human Resources for many years. Initially with the London Delaney as an HR Administrator, then with Transport for London as a Recruitment Administrator, and most recently with the Royal Borough of Kensington as an HR Officer.

Yunus (40, Turkish)

More than 16 years working in the Education sector as a teacher, as an administrator, and in corporate communications. Attended many different IT courses focused on coding and now is very interested in a career in Salesforce.

Meet the Fall 2021 Amsterdam Participants

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 14:00:21 GMT

Fall 2021 Amsterdam ��

From October to November we completed an intensive 6 week program in Amsterdam with 26 super motivated and talented participants. The program included 20 technical training sessions covering all aspects of the Salesforce Administrator Exam, plus scenarios, team exercises, and best practices. It also included Career Training sessions delivered by Salesforce employees and a professional panels of Salesforce Administrators, Consultants, and Developers working in the ecosystem. Participants are paired 1-on-1 with Salesforce mentors to help them plan their path into the ecosystem and focus on their Certification exam. Each graduate is now ready to launch their career in Salesforce! ��

Meet the Summer 2021 Berlin Participants

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Sat, 03 Jul 2021 18:16:17 GMT

Our first program in Germany ��

On 1 of July we launched our first program in Berlin. Together, with our local partner jobs4Refugees, The aim of Launch Berlin is to provide refugees with in-demand, digital skills, help them find work and apprenticeships, and ultimately improve their livelihoods and social integration. The program is topped off with a labor market readiness training, introducing participants to the intricacies of the German job market and the requirements for successful applications.

Why Berlin? This eclectic city hosts a vibrant start-up, tech, and a growing Salesforce ecosystem. At a peak in 2015, 55,000 refugees arrived in Berlin that year alone. Currently, Berlin takes in around 5% of Germany’s new arrivals every year, counting 6,316 new asylum seekers in 2019.

Hamza (Moroccan)

Hamza has a background working in the tech industry including in B2C Business and customer support. He has worked in app development for 3+ years and has done a few digital marketing projects. He studied English in University but has since been learning software development. His ambition is to be a pioneer in the tech industry by providing a value to people and businesses.

Adole (Nigerian)

Adole is a recent graduate of the Technische Universität Berlin. His background is in Process and Energy Engineering. He has been looking for an opportunity to do the SalesForce admin certification for some time now, to enable him to work as a consultant or Salesforce administrator. Adole has been nurturing an increasing interest in working in the tech industry because of its dynamism & relevance today and also in order to increase his employability here in Germany.

Muhammad (Pakistani)

Muhammad is a Pakistani citizen but was forced to leave his country at the end of 2014. In Pakistan, he was a lecturer of History at a college in his town. After arriving in Berlin in February 2015, he applied for asylum and got the opportunity to complete his MBA studies by 2017. Although he had to face many financial issues, he did not lose hope. The IT field has always been interesting for him so he joined COURSERA with help of Jobs4refugees to learn Google IT Support Professional Course. He has already completed the first course and the second one is in progress. Muhammad is really motivated to complete the Salesforce course successfully and pursue a career in tech.

Oluwafeyisayomi Adenegan (Nigerian)

Oluwafeyisayomi (her friends call her Sayo) comes from Nigeria, West Africa. She studied Computer Science and worked as a Program/Data Analyst for over five years before relocating to Berlin with her family. She has a B1 in Deutsch and recently attended a Data Science Coding Bootcamp at Le Wagon where he learnt how to use Machine learning algorithms to make predictions and how to solve Data Science/Analysis problems in general. Her long term goal is to be either a Data Scientist, Software Developer or Salesforce Developer.

Laxman (Nepali)

Laxman came to Berlin to do his Masters after receiving a Bachelor in Biomedical Engineering in Nepal. His aim was to study computer science but he did not have the background so he did not meet the requirements. During his time as a student, he interned with companies in roles where he had to work closely with Technical/IT professionals and always had the desire to gain similar technical skills. He started searching for ways to train himself for IT roles through online resources and basic skills in coding, databases, IT support etc. When he learned about RefugeeForce, he immediately felt this as a great opportunity to open the doors in the IT world. He looks forward to pursuing the Salesforce administrator certification and getting his first Salesforce job. By continuing to learn, Laxman aspires to get more Salesforce certificates in future and work in more qualified positions, solving more challenging problems and bringing more value to the companies, organisations, and society.

Nik (Malaysian)

Nik is 28 years old and has been in Berlin since 2020. She has studied Law during her bachelor’s degree and worked at a law firm. She also has two years of experience in customer service in the banking industry. During her work as a customer representative, she has come to love working with people, solving their problems either directly or indirectly. She would love to continue working in this industry. Her hope is that with this training she can pursue a career in customer relationship management.

Apitha (Thai)

Apitha (her friends call her Joy) comes from the Northern part of Thailand and has been in Germany for six months. She has studied English and Marketing. Before developing her career in Marketing she has a background in language teaching for four years. Now she is a housewife and is learning German at home. While in Germany, Joy has had to adjust her life in every way and this is a new beginning for her. She is excited to get to join this program because she wants to pursue her interest in the IT field. Joy feels like this program is a great opportunity for everyone including her to be able get a job, settle down, and feel like this place is home away from home.

Majd (Syrian)

Majd is 24 years old from Syria and has been in Germany since 2016. During this time, he studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences but realised it was not his passion. Since a young age, he was been interested in computers and hardware and is now shifting his career towards programming. He has been studying in Nordrhein-Westfalen at an engineering programming school and in 2019 he did an internship for programming and coding in Düsseldorf for about one month. He has gained so much knowledge from this that it has pushed him forward to improve himself in technical ways. His goal is to gain more knowledge in this direction and be able to increase his experience in the tech sector.

Abhishek (Indian)

Abhishek is a recent MBA graduate with a master’s degree in business administration — International Business focus on General Management from SRH, Berlin. Previously, he studied Mechanical engineering for his Bachelor’s degree at AIET college in Mangalore, India. He has had a very hard time finding a good job since coming to Germany and is currently working part-time at McDonalds. Abhishek is a highly focused and hardworking individual with a sense of values and goals, both personal and professional. Considering that the tech industry is ever changing and dynamic, he is excited by the prospects it can offer and feels motivated by the challenges it will pose. His long-term goals involve growing with a company where he can continue to learn, take on additional responsibilities, and contribute as much value as possible to the team.

Mohammad (Syrian)

Mohammad is 35 years old from Syria and has been living in Germany for 6 years. He studied as a sales assistant and worked in this field for several years. While in Germany, he worked at Mediamarkt for 2 years but was laid off during 2020 due to the pandemic. Since then, he has been looking for jobs while volunteering in elderly and handicap centers to fill his free time and improving his German language. His ambition is to successfully finish the RefugeeForce program and make advanced levels in the Salesforce field. He wants to get as much experience as possible in this field.

Nosa (Nigerian)

Nosa is from Edo state, Nigeria. He grew up in Nigeria where he completed his Bachelors and Masters degree in Accounting. He is now studying a Master of international Business in Germany. Over the years, he has also gathered IT knowledge in SAP and wants to improve his technical skills. He loves to solve problems as an analytical person. His aim is to gather as much knowledge as possible, especially in relevant IT Programs, so that it will enhance his job prospects when he graduates.

Silicon Canals: ‘Hiring refugees is a good idea’

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 07:56:19 GMT

‘Hiring refugees is a good idea’: RefugeeForce re-skills asylum seekers in Europe to Salesforce specialists

by Dennis de Vries June 16, 2021

RefugeeForce Co-founder, Gaspar Rodriguez, was recently interviewed on Silicon Canals about why hiring refugees is a good idea and how Salesforce partners have onboarded program alumni.

"With the rapid growth and outstanding vacancies in the tech industry, finding a job should be a breeze, no? For many people, this is not the case. Several tech academies aim to solve that problem. One of those aims for the group of people that have a particularly tough time finding employment. Amsterdam-based social enterprise RefugeeForce re-skills asylum seekers in the Netherlands towards a SalesForce job.

Reskilling refugees to Salesforce

Gaspar Rodriguez is the director and co-founder of RefugeeForce. He knows how hard it is to arrive in a new country and find a job. “I always moved around to new countries. I found that even for a normal immigrant, it can be incredibly tough.”

Read the full interview here: https://siliconcanals.com/news/startups/refugeeforce-salesforce-amsterdam/

RefugeeForce x NewMotion

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Mon, 10 May 2021 18:24:15 GMT

Powering the team that powers the EV charging network across Europe

During the fall of 2020, NewMotion became our latest recruitment partner seeking to onboard Salesforce talent in order to grow and develop internally within their engineering team. Our partnership was recently featured by the Salesforce Talent Alliance on LinkedIn Live. During this session, we shared our experience working together over the last few months to find Salesforce talent.

"Start immediately. If I could do one thing different, I would have done it years earlier. Take the jump because it’s a great cause and you get really good talent. Don’t wait." — Tom van Eijl, Engineering Manager at NewMotion

How do we work with Recruitment Partners?

Our model is focused on leading companies who are willing to put words into action by investing in diversity, inclusion, and finding hidden talent.

What was especially impressive is that the candidates are relatively new to Salesforce but when looking at their resumes and business experience I was blown away — the candidates had really good resumes and really relevant business experience, which was evident in the interview process. — Tom van Eijl , Engineering Manager at NewMotion

In October 2020, Newmotion hired their first RefugeeForce alumni, Enass Ahmed , who brings years of experience in customer service to the team. She quickly skilled-up and gained direct experience during her first few months a as a full-time Salesforce Administrator, which allowed her to pass the Salesforce Admin Certification. This represents an ideal learning path for Salesforce starters who can learn directly from an experienced team.

Looking ahead to 2021

We look forward to our continued relationship with NewMotion to help them grow their Salesforce team. We are excited to welcome more like-minded organizations as recruitment partners — don’t wait!

Looking for Salesforce talent, reach out and we’ll gladly set up an intro call to discuss the possibilities of becoming a recruitment partner: hello@blueroadacademy.com

Meet the Winter 2021 Class

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 15:38:02 GMT

Winter 2021 Amsterdam Class

During this class, we were incredible lucky and grateful for the photography of William Lounsbury. William volunteered to take professional headshots of participants and during one of the sessions. William is a documentary photographer working primarily in portraiture and reportage to share people’s stories. He works with Witness Change, an NGO using visual storytelling to support marginalized groups to share their stories.

Learn more about his work here . Together with these excellent photos, we are thrilled to share more about the motivated participants in Winter 2021 Amsterdam class.

Motea (Yemeni, 41)

Motea has an academic background in computer science, having achieved his Bachelors and his Masters from Iraq in Computer Networking. He lived in Malaysia for 14 years where he received his PhD in wireless communications and network engineering. In the Netherlands, Motea has struggled to find a job that goes in line with his academic specialization. He remains very motivated and determined to get a job in the technology sector.

Mamadou (Gambian, 32)

Mamadou has an extensive background in sales in his home country. He started his career in Gambia as a sales and marketing agent for his family business. In the the Netherlands, he has worked at Zara as a sales associate for few months before enrolling in language school for the integration program. He would like to develop his digital skills by launching a career in Salesforce.

Teklehaimanot (Eritrean, 31)

Teklehaimanot studied computer science in his home country. He is currently working as a data-professional since 2019 for Do Good Only Company. He has also joined the Netherlands Red Cross as a data science volunteer. He is interested in data visualization, machine learning, data cleaning & analysis using python.

Aya (Egyption, 34)

Aya worked as a technical officer engineer (civil engineer) for two years in Cairo, Egypt. She also brings 8 years of Sales Engineer experience from the steel structural field. She came to Netherlands 4 years ago and is keen to develop her career in cloud engineering or programming.

Zam (Azerbaijani, 36)

Zam came to the Netherlands as a political refugee in 2019. Her career has been in journalism and business strategy development. During the last five years, she was jumping from one country to another to find a safe home and to put her career back on track. She is now focused on learning more technical skills to prepare for the job market. She hopes her new Salesforce skills will help her compete a high tech country like the Netherlands.

Shaker (Palestinian, 25)

Shaker came to the Netherlands in March 2019 as a refugee with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He tried find a job to begin his career as an accountant but unfortunately it was hard to find anything. He has been working as a part time sales assistance but he does not see his future there. He is now eagerly looking to launch his career as a software developer and is teaching himself SQL and programming.

Malik (Yemeni, 28)

Malik studied communication engineering n Yemen. He was forced to leave his home country soon after receiving his bachelor’s degree. Malik come to the Netherlands about 2 years go. He has found a passion for Salesforce and has dedicated his full attention to learning the platform.

Davut (Turkish, 26)

Davut has had the interest in IT since he graduated from an IT high school in Turkey. He has been living in Rotterdam with his wife for 2 years. Davut believes that technology is key to remain competitive in the Dutch labor market. Once he heard about Salesforce, he started learning on his own, watching tutorials on YouTube and achieving a number of badges on Trailhead.

Osama (Yemeni, 40)

Osama has been in the Netherlands for 9 months. He comes with a strong background in IT and CRM integrations. He is currently living with his family in the AZC. While learning Dutch, he is also following online courses on SAP and programming.

Sherin (Uyghur, 33)

Sherin has been living in the Netherlands for 2 years. She has received her asylum status and is looking for new job opportunities. She has a strong interest for a career in technology.

Sadek (Syrian, 33)

Sadek studied BA and master in international public and private law in Syria. He has a strong love for computer sciences, automation, and IoT. Despite having a different academic background, he’s made a complete and well-thought transition towards technology. He’s worked as Salesforce developer and has a very strong passion to follow the RefugeeForce training program to shape his plan even further. He arrived in the Netherlands 5 years ago and has since been involved in programming and programming language courses. He believes that Salesforce has very high potential in the CRM market, and he wants to be part of this success.

Gideon (Nigerian, 30)

Gideon has been in the Netherlands for one year. He was working as an orthodontist assistant at the University teaching hospital Ekiti State in Nigeria. He later joined the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp where he worked as a security agent. Gideon now wants to broaden his tech knowledge and learn more tech skills which would enable him have a better career and also help him integrate socially and economically.

What does being honored as a Salesforce MVP mean to me?

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 17:04:25 GMT

RefugeeForce Co-Founder, Gaspar Rodriguez, was recently honored as a member of the Salesforce 2021 MVP Class

As a 7X Certified Senior Salesforce Consultant with 10 years of Salesforce experience in various roles, Gaspar has worked with social impact organisations, large NGOs, and commercial companies around the world to design and implement solutions on the Salesforce platform. During this time, he has worked to deliver over 30 Salesforce implementations in 20 countries.

Two years ago he co-founded RefugeeForce to help solve a difficult social problem of under-employed and un-employed refugees in Europe with the professional development and career growth of Salesforce. After being awarded the 2020 Golden Hoodie during DreamTX, we have received so much love and support from the Salesforce community.

Here’s the thing: Salesforce has a big talent problem

The war for top Salesforce talent is toxic and undermines the growth of the ecosystem. The constant hunting and poaching of multi-certified seniors and architects is a zero-sum game. We see a brighter, healthier Salesforce talent ecosystem where training opportunities for new entrants are more accessible and employers are finding ways to attract new talent. This is why we started RefugeeForce. As the only community program in the world training refugees on the Salesforce platform, our aim to boost their careers in technology and bridge the digital-skills and talent gap in Europe.

“Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in 10 years.” — Bill Gates

You heard it here first

Our BHAG is to reach and train 10.000 refugees by 2025. This can only be achieved through harnessing the power of Generosity, Leadership, and Expertise of motivated Salesforce professionals and employees in local communities around the world.

Being recognized as a champion for inclusivity, diversity, and knowledge for all, receiving this award has motivated me even further to pursue my professional goals. As a Salesforce MVP, Gaspar is evermore committed to upholding the program values and strengthening the Salesforce ecosystem.

There is still so much work to do — looking forward to being part of the 2021 Class!

ICYMI: RefugeeForce №2

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 19:26:50 GMT

2021 �� Time to look ahead.

Announcing two EU Partnerships ��

�� We are proud to announce a multi-year partnership with Jobs4Refugees — a social impact organisation based in Berlin. Jobs4Refugees aims to help refugees find work and apprenticeships. Together with companies such as Foodora, Zalando, and Starbucks, they support a successful transition between refugees and employers across Germany.

We will conduct a joint Berlin pilot program in 2021 to provide technical Salesforce skills, soft skills, job workshops, and job application training to optimally prepare participants for starting their careers.

�� We are also excited to announce a multi-year partnership with Serve the City, Paris. As part of an English speaking global network of volunteers, Serve the City Paris is focused on helping asylum seekers, refugees, the homeless and underprivileged foreigners in Paris.

The aim of these pilot programs is to provide refugees with access to marketable skills, help them find work or internships, and ultimately improve their livelihoods and integration. Stay tuned!

2020 DreamTX Golden Hoodie ✨ ✨ ✨

President & CMO of Salesforce, Sarah Franklin, presented this award to our co-founder, Gaspar Rodriguez, during DreamTX 2020. Golden Hoodie winners are those who inspire others, are committed to learning, have love for their community, and pay it forward through innovation. We are incredibly honored for this recognition! Read about Gaspar’s journey

Winter Program — Amsterdam

We are excited to start our first training program of the year in March 2021. We have received many applicants from across The Netherlands and are currently reviewing applications. The full class will be announced in early March ��‍�� ‍��

�� ICYMI: Talent Alliance Spotlight

The Salesforce Talent Alliance connects partners to Salesforce candidates and brings new talent into the ecosystem, emphasising building a diverse workforce that reflects society around the globe.

As a Salesforce Training program, we were featured during the January Spotlight together with our recruitment partner, NewMotion.

“Start immediately. If I could do one thing different, I would have done it years earlier. Take the jump because it’s a great cause and you get really good talent. Don’t wait.” — Tom van Eijl, Engineering Manager at NewMotion

We are hiring!

We are seeking a freelance Grant Writer to lead our efforts in securing funds that will support our mission over the coming years. We aim to deepen the current training curriculum, broaden our course offerings to cover additional development tracks. Moreover, we seek to further professionalize the organization by investing in key elements such as branding; storytelling; marketing; and monitoring, evaluation, and learning.

Interested in joining our team or know someone who would be a good fit?

We thank you for your continued support! — Team RefugeeForce

ICYMI: RefugeeForce №1

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 19:37:14 GMT

Can you believe it’s been two years?

This is our first newsletter to mark the day we were founded, exactly two years ago. Since then, we have taken an ambitious idea to help people feel included and launched it into a growing social enterprise. We have learned about and engaged with refugees who are frustrated with the lack of employment opportunities available to them, while being turned down for jobs they are well qualified for. We have listened to those who feel stymied by the inability to connect with others or feel pressured to find any work they can just to survive and feel integrated into their new society. We have created a new community of Salesforce professionals who bring their expertise, motivation, hunger, and dedication to learning something completely new. We have connected mentors and experienced Salesforce experts with program participants to share new skills and knowledge, adding talent and new personalities to the Salesforce community.

To date, 63 participants in 4 cohorts have successfully

completed the RefugeeForce Training program

Along the way, we have also learned so much about ourselves and what it takes to run a social enterprise; we are excited to drive these learnings into 2021. There is an incredible amount of work to do in order to create a world where talent is globally recognized and opportunities are equally accessible, but we are ready for the challenge.

We also want to take a moment to say ✨ THANK YOU ✨ to the people who have helped us achieve our mission, as well as to the participants who have given their time and effort to the program. We are eternally grateful for all the wonderful people that make up the Salesforce Ohana and we look forward to growing this community!

2020 Programs

This year continues to be an eventful one. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, were forced to move the Winter (February — April) program online halfway through the course, and ultimately decided to cancel the Summer program. We were able to run the Fall (September — November) program via a hybrid online/physical format. These program alumni are currently studying for the Salesforce Administrator Exam and are looking for new job opportunities.

Facing the difficult situation that we all find ourselves in, we persevere with hope and optimism in order to create new opportunities and initiatives for our participants. We understand the complex adversity but we also believe there are exciting new ways to learn, work, and grow during this pandemic.

Who is hiring our Program Alumni?

We are thrilled to announce our 2020 Recruitment Partners: Eurofiber, Newmotion, DigiPhi, and Zummit. We work closely together to find the best full-time candidates that fit their team or project for one year. Finding motivated Salesforce professionals is also our ultimate goal, thereby creating a natural partnership.

Our alumni have also been recently hired at gCompany, SONOS Europe, Amnesty International, and Webfleet Solutions.

Want to bring a trained and certified Salesforce professional to your team?

Stay tuned for more updates! ��

Meet the Winter 2020 Class

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 15:54:55 GMT

Our largest and most diverse cohort to date.

We attempted to triple the number of participants to 30. With the onset of Covid-19 measures, came a difficult challenge for the program: going online. There are already so many digital resources and online materials available to learn Salesforce: we do not want to be another online player in a crowded space. The core of our training is face-to-face and team-based instruction in the classroom. Read some of their success stories here .

Azmi (Malaysian, 42 years old)

Azmi spent an early career in Asia. He received his B.Eng from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and his Associate Degree from Open University Malaysia (OUM) before eventually building his flamboyant careers as a radio producer and presenter in Singapore. He then moved to the corporate world, working with multiple MNC companies in India, and Malaysia. After his almost ten-year career as a regional business development manager, Azmi is now in the Netherlands, where he continued to increase his skills by getting a Professional Certification in Data Science by Microsoft Academy. He recently started on as a trainer for data analytic boot camp in Rotterdam; where he currently resides with his partner Rinus and their beautiful labradors Malay and Racoon.

Mohamed (Moroccan, 30 years old)

Mohamed is originally from Morocco, but now he is an asylum seeker living in Budel AZC. As a young man of the 21st century, he is very curious about future technologies. Mohamed speaks fluently French, Arabic, Spanish, and English.

Muhammad (Syrian, 33 years old)

Muhammad is a strong finance advisor with almost eight years’ experience. He has advised clients with the objective to provide the best car loans, insurances and personal loans. Muhammed also has a proven track record in sales by selling stocks to investors.

Sam (Syrian, 39 years old)

Sam is an energetic, ambitious person who has developed a mature and responsible approach to any task that I undertake, or situation that he is presented with. As a graduate with roughly 14 years’ of experience in biomedical engineering in both sectors Sales & Services (maintenance) and management, he is excellent in working with others to achieve a certain objective on time and with excellence.

Toni (Syrian, 36 years old)

Tony is married, living with his wife and son. He has a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Aleppo. Tony came to the Netherlands in 2015 and is interested in learning anything about computers, phones and new technologies.

Anwer (Yemeni, 38 years old)

Anwer came from Yemen to Maastricht for an MBA in international business and sustainable development. His professional background is in business development, business education and NGO capacity building and projects. He is interested in agile and lean management plus softwares that promote effectiveness and efficiency with room for creativity. He lives in the Hague.

Alaa (Iraqi, 34 years old)

Alaa is married and has children. She holds a bachelor of Science of Statistic and Informatics. from University of Mosul, Iraq. From 2009 -2014, she was a teacher of Mathematics at Secondary School of Al-Qwareer in Mosul, Iraq. During 2016–2017, she attended Business analytics and Statistics classes at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. In 2018 she completed the Dutch course (B1), at the Boost School in Amsterdam. Currently, she is studying B2 language course.

Tasnim (Syrian, 30 years old)

Tasnim is from Syria, where she studied in medical college and graduated as a medical laboratory technician. After that she joined a computer college to study network engineering. Because of the war I had to stop and work to help my family. Now she lives in the Netherlands and wants to start a new life, so she is very excited about this course.

Mohammad (Syrian, 37 years old)

Mohammad moved to Netherlands at the end of 2013. He studied English translation and did Master ‘s degree in business administration. He previously worked in a telecom company in Syria before seeking asylum. In the Netherlands he worked for almost two years in a data recovery company. He hopes via this course to find what he is looking for- a stable life and a better future.

Faie (Yemeni, 35 years old)

“I am what I think who I am” This is how I move on by utilizing my positivity, imagination, and creativity to approach new skills and to deal with issues as challenges. Beside being detail-oriented is leading me to perfection.

Ahmet (Turkish, 26 years old)

Ahmet applied for asylum in the Netherlands in February 2019 . He studied Public Administration and International Politics in China and I worked in the marketing field.

Ubay (Syrian, 36 years old)

Ubay has a degree in accounting and has studied 2 years on Information Technology but could not manage to complete it due to the war. He has extensive experience with Telecom companies, Banks, and Aviation. His most recent role was a contact centre operations officers at Emirates Airline, and at the same was acting manager — where he was managing almost 80 consultants and Team leaders. Now he has come here and is looking for a new challenge.

Mouin (Lebanese, 48 years old)

Mouin moved from Beirut to Amsterdam in 2017. He is interested in mysticism, technology, statistics, socio-economic design, and art. He loves to incorporate them in his interactive art installations.

John (Lebanese, 49 years old)

John is from Lebanon. His first job was a hairdresser for 15 years. He decided to search for another opportunity in something more challenging so he found a job as area sales manager in cosmetics. John then moved to Dubai as he found a good opportunity as travel agent.After Dubai John moved to The Netherlands and has lived here for 3 years and 5 months. His last job was Head Barista in European medicine agency in Amsterdam.

Ibrahim (Yemeni, 28 years old)

Ibrahim is from Yemen but he was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. He has Studied bachelor of architecture and master of project management in Malaysia. Currently, he is studying Dutch language and doing some volunteer jobs to get to know this country better. He is trying to participate in this wonderful society.

Shatha (Syrian, 31 years old)

After earning her Degree in Banking and Insurance from Damascus University, Shatha entered the banking sector to do internships in Syria and Overseas. She started her career as the executive secretary at Le Méridien, before moving on to The Netherlands. Currently, she is a volunteer as a bartender for Scagon theater. Outside that, Shata is passionate about dancing and now she enjoys sh’bam dance!

Kamel (Syrian, 29 years old)

Kamel has been a Syrian resident in the Netherlands since 2016. Before ending up in Holland, his life journey started in Dubai. After completing his primary and secondary education in the UAE, he moved to Syria where he pursued his education and achieved a graduate degree in Business Administration from Faculty of Administrative Sciences at the University of EBLA in Aleppo 2014 . However, by the unfortunate Syrian crisis, he had to move out of Syria and start a journey of hope from Turkey, ending up in Holland.

Akil (Syrian, 39 years old)

Akil is a self-motivated; goal orientated professional who aspires to achieve consistent levels of success. He is a 2019 MBA graduate with 13 years of international experience in three regions Asia, Middle East, and Europe within B2B, Marketing, Management, Consultancy, and Sales. His academic and professional experiences led me to develop strong analytical and critical thinking; problem-solving and proven leadership skills as well as soft skills that are great foundations for a professional. His multicultural background with excellent interpersonal skills which was crucial in my past projects in order to deliver the right solutions and results. His hobbies are reading, fitness and travel.

Rania (Palestinian, 37 years old)

Rania graduated from the University of Damascus as an Electronic and telecommunications Engineer and holds a master degree in Electronics engineering. She worked as project Engineer in Syria and as HR and training Specialist, Purchasing manager and lead project coordinator in Dubai UAE. She came to the Netherlands in March 2019 and is very interested in CRM and cloud computing systems.

Ahmed (Yemeni, 31 years old)

Ahmed is a student of international studies in Leiden University. His goal is to specialise in cyber security and to own a cybersecurity company.

Abdelrahman (Sudanese, 43 years old)

Abdelrahman is a Sudanese living in The Netherlands since he recognized a refugee in March 2014. Abdelrahman is a CEO and co-founder of the company Brilliant for Fair Business and Development, which imports and exports agricultural products, machines, knowledge and technology used in the agricultural sector.

Enass (Egyptian, 40 years old)

Enass has been in The Netherlands for 15 month. She has 20 years of experience in customer service. She was formerly the Head of Customer Service for Toyota in Dubai. She has experience with systems like SAP, fasttrack, and sprinkler. Since she is starting a new life in the Netherlands, she wants to start her with Salesforce as a transformation point.

Salima (Algerian, 34 years old)

Salima is driven by challenges and new learning experiences. She previously worked as customer service manager at Toyota in the United Arab Emirates. After coming to the Netherlands, she took training at RefugeeForce to learn about the work environment in the Dutch community. The RefugeeForce environment, philosophy, vision & mission made her more keen to enter the Salesforce ecosystem.

Suleyman (Syrian, 39 years old)

Suleyman is an ambitious and skilled all-round IT specialist with a lot of technical knowledge about various applications, systems and processes. In addition, I am social and I find it a challenge to achieve goals in a team. Properties that belong to me are; accurate, stress resistant, responsible, and perseverance.

Nizar (Syrian, 38 years old)

People know me as a goal-oriented and decisive person, I like to keep developing myself actively. With my positive attitude, I have overcome many obstacles in the Netherlands in the past 4 years. Due to my independent and inquisitive attitude I have developed various qualities. For example, I have independently learned Dutch and HTML & CSS skills. Now I am learning JS. I am also communicative and stress resistant. In the long term, I have set my sights on a position as an IT developer. Until then, I would like to gain experience in IT, to achieve my goal through company training.

Moustafa (Syrian, 28 years old)

I am a positive, passionate and down to earth person who is always looking for a challenge; not only in terms of work but also on a personal level. My biggest passion is travelling as this gives me the opportunity to experience other cultures and meet new people. I am also very interested in strategic and innovative topics as they encourage me to be creative. My life, international experiences, internship and extracurricular activities show that I am ambitious and always willing to work hard.

Serkan (Turkish, 41 years old)

Serkan has worked in various fields as a teacher, in public relations, ticketing & accounting, and as a school director. Since 2017, he has been unemployed. He is now busy with learning IT and Networking.

Mahmoud (Stateless, 35 years old)

Mahmoud has very good experience in the refugee field. Mahmoud received a diploma in refugees studies and has worked for a long time for UNRWA with refugees in different fields like health, education, sustainability, development, small business, peace and conflict and human rights. He is looking for a good job related to his experience.

Mohammed (Yemeni, 23 years old)

Leader, Geek about computers,Technologies, Highly qualified, dedicated, and multifaceted specialist seeks to face any challenge in the workforce. Demonstrated excellence in all facets of work, programming, troubleshooting. combined with string analytical, organizational, and technical proficiencies and outstanding communication and interpersonal skills. By moving to the Netherlands from India, learning the language, and launching and participating in non-profit initiatives, I demonstrate motivation, resilience, and dedication. I am now enjoying my current challenge in finding a new opportunity to build a better working world.

RefugeeForce x Eurofiber

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 18:34:02 GMT

Eurofiber believes that societal challenges

require future-proof digital solutions.

In this, we are very much aligned. We believe the future of work requires people who have the digital skills necessary to power organizations in their digital transformation.

What does it take to deliver on a such an ambitious vision ?

Great people. This mutual understanding is why Eurofiber became one of our first official Recruitment Partners in 2019. For over a year, we have worked with the digital team at Eurofiber in finding great talent and great people to join their team. Since December 2019, two of our most promising program alumni have been working at Eurofiber. Sima and Mostafa are now full-time Salesforce Administrators on a growing Salesforce team.

While working at Eurofiber, Sima and Mostafa have rapidly grown their professional and technical skills. Every day they are learning new ways to ensure Eurofiber is providing great services, new digital features, and digital support to its large customer base. Sima has already achieved her Salesforce Platform App Builder credential while Mostafa is currently working towards his goal of becoming a Salesforce Developer.

Looking ahead to 2021

We look forward to our continued relationship with Eurofiber to help them grow their Salesforce team. We are excited to welcome more like-minded organizations as recruitment partners.

Looking for Salesforce talent, reach out and we’ll gladly set up an intro call to discuss the possibilities of becoming a recruitment partner.

Meet the Fall 2020 Class

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 15:45:51 GMT

Fall 2020 Amsterdam Class

Today, we launch a new part of the RefugeeForce journey. We start the latest RefugeeForce program with 20 motivated, talented, and very passionate participants. We received over 100 applications for this cohort, marking our most extensive (and difficult!) applicant review process to date.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we decided to run the Fall (September — November) program via a hybrid online/physical format where guest trainers and participants were able to join on the big screen. These program alumni are currently studying for the Salesforce Administrator Exam and are looking for new job opportunities:

Itonga (Cameroonian, 32 years old)

Itonga holds a professional Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Finance, with a focus on Banking and Financial products/service marketing. Itonga has knowledge and experience in market analysis, leads, opportunities. He wants to get his master in cloud computing and is seeking customer-facing Salesforce roles.

Ayman (Syrian, 36 years old)

Ayman is from Lattakia, Syria. He has been living in the Netherlands for almost 5 years. Ayman has studied English language and linguistics. He has also studied Language and Communication at Leiden university. A self-proclaimed Salesforce addict, he is actively seeking a role in the IT sector.

Anas (Syrian, 28 years old)

Anas is from Damascus, Syria. He has studied business science and in the higher institute of music in Damascus. He worked as a music trainer and sales rep. When Anas came to the Netherlands, he improved my marketing skills by doing online courses and helping his friends build online shops. Currently, he is busy developing his skills and experience in Marketing.

Fateh (Syrian, 39 years old)

Fateh holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Al Baath University in Syria. He has experience in various computer applications such as Maximo, Oracle, and ChemCad.PLC program. Fateh believes in his ability to learn and work independently. His hobbies include reading, fishing, and football.

Merhawit (Eritrean, 29 years old)

Merhawit has a Bachelor’s Degree from the department of Economics and was a high school Maths teacher in Eritrea. Merhawit has been involved in the AZC Community, helping people as a volunteer in different jobs such as working in the computer room. She is currently studying Dutch.

Waleed (Yemeni, 37 years old)

Waleed is currently working as a telecom senior engineer, a graphic design freelancer, and a volunteer. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information System and Computer Science. Waleed worked in the Telecom sector for more than 10 years so he is comfortable with different operating systems, databases, and network protocols.

Angie (Venezuelan, 31 years old)

Angie holds a degree in Business Administration. She has over 8 years of experience in various roles such as an Administration Manager. She has been living in the Netherlands for almost four years, having to leave her home country due to the difficult political and economic situation. Angie enjoys reading, running long distances, and photography. Angie is part of a community non-profit organization in Venezuela that she manages together with her family.

Alain (Congolese, 21 years old)

Alain Gatungo is originally from Kinshasa. He has been living in the Netherlands for 2 years. Alain studied computer science in Uganda. Alain’s ambition is to be a developer and he has experience as a Full Stack developer. When he isn’t glued to a computer screen, he spends time learning Dutch.

Akram (Yemeni, 35 years old)

Akram (you can call him AK) is from Aden, Yemen. He has a Bachelor’s degree in business information technology. He has worked as a functional consultant on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for almost 4 years. Akram is married and has 3 kids. He enjoys football and traveling.

Shahrad (Iranian, 44 years old)

Shahrad has been in The Netherlands for 7 years. He graduated from the Azad University Science and Research branch with a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Lab Science. He worked for 8 years at a private bank (Parsian Bank) as a supervisor. For fun, he likes to read, watch tv and swim.

Asmaa (Syrian, 24 years old)

Asmaa has been living in Amsterdam for 5 years. She finished her Dutch language courses and has finished a study preparation year ‘schakeljaar’ at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam. She is planning to start with the study of Human Resources next year. Asmaa has a background in economics and finance as she studied one year at the higher institute for accounting and management back in Syria.

Ghada (Yemeni, 38 years old)

Ghada holds a bachelor degree in English Literature. Since 2009, she has been working in civil society and community development. In Yemen she worked as a program manager with Youth Leadership Development Foundation (a national Yemeni NGOs that contributes for Youth and women development). Later she worked in Jordan as a Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator with a Generations for Peace. Now, she had a voluntary work with Buddy to Buddy Utrecht. Ghada is motivated by a desire to play an active role in tackling societal issues. Not willing to stand on the sidelines, she believes that individual empowerment is the starting point for community development.

Rahila (Uyghur, 35 years old)

Rahila Hidayet is an Uyghur refugee from East Turkestan (Northwest part of China). Rahila has been in the Netherlands for 2 years, where she’s been very busy studying and doing voluntary work. Rahila has completed a 4-month course in entrepreneurship by DeliteLabs. She likes running, listening to music, and singing.

Fahed Abdulfattah (Syrian, 33 years old)

Fahed brings more than 10 years in the customer service sector. With his new knowledge of Salesforce Administration, it makes him more eager to have a new opportunity. Fahed is a strong communicator, a team player and has a service oriented mindset. He believes it is important to put the customers needs first to meet the wishes of the customer.

Eyad (Syrian, 44 years old)

Eyad Khamis is married with 1 daughter. He has lived in Amsterdam for 4 years now. Eyad has his own business, a small shop with vegan and vegetarian Syrian food, mainly Falafel and cold mezze. Previously, he has sold SaaS in the Middle East, and organized events, conferences and trade delegations for more than 20 years in Dubai and Damascus.

Bashar (Syrian, 31 years old)

Bashar has been in the NL for 5 years, where he lives with his wife and son. Bashar received a diploma in Information Technology (ICT mob-4) in Syria and is currently studying Dutch language. He enjoys working in programming languages and has a good base in coding. He is currently working part-time as a badminton coach.

Wahib (Yemeni, 39 years old)

Wahib Noman was born and raised in the UAE. He is married and has two children. Wahib holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business administration and a diploma in supply chain and procurement. He started his career in Fedex as part time as a courier for 2 years. He then moved to a real estate company called Dubai Properties Group for 13 years in the procurement department as procurement manager.

Danya (Yemeni, 26 years old)

Danya has a Bachelor’s degree in E-commerce. Her ambition is to pursue a Master’s degree and build her career in sales & marketing .She has previously worked as an online coach. She has a passion for learning and no limits to her ambition.

Razan (Syrian, 38 years old)

Razan has lived in The Hague since 2015. In short, she cares about Migration & Integration, Diversity & Inclusion, Dialogue & Intercultural Communication, Active Citizenship & Community Engagement, Storytelling & Social Well-being. What truly matters to her is creating & fostering meaningful connections. Despite differences in backgrounds, perspectives and lived realities, she sees herself as a linking-pin, bringing people together; facilitating knowledge exchange, collaboration, and social impact.

Ercan (Turkish, 29 years old)

Ercan has a strong interest in IT. He previously participated in Hack your Future and has started teaching himself Salesforce. His natural curiosity will contribute to his personal development around the technical environment. He enjoys spending his spare time with friends, visiting pretty cities in the Netherlands and eating.