In the heart of the Middle East lies a country that has become “home” to an estimated 2,000,000 displaced individuals from neighboring countries—Iran.
Iran now hosts the world’s 4th largest refugee population and has even been praised for their “exemplary” efforts by the UN.
Still there are those who tell another story. Residents who once lived in peace, increasingly persecuted for their beliefs. Pedram Farahmandian and his family are among those.
After converting to Christianity, Pedram’s mom and step-dad were imprisoned and tortured before fleeing to nearby Turkey in 2010. The sudden escape came as a shock to young Pedram, who was only a teenager.
Still to this day, he remembers the challenges they faced: “Turkey was the hardest. The only apartments you can find are in unsafe areas. My step-dad had to get dangerous, black market jobs where they pay you half.”
The family patiently endured the long process of applying for refugee status and resettlement. In 2013 they were approved for entry into the United States, and resettled in Dallas, Texas.
Pedram, at that time 19, sought out opportunities to contribute to the family finances. He took a job delivering furniture, but the day after day heavy lifting began to wear on him, especially already having some health problems. After returning to school to continue his education, he wondered where he might find a sustainable job that could accommodate his schedule.
His mom had been working with a new local staffing company, Amplio Recruiting, that was helping refugees like her connect to jobs in the Dallas area. She referred Pedram to Abby Davis, Managing Director, who recognized his potential and helped him fill out an online application for a job at a local technology company, Lead Tag.
It wasn’t long before Pedram was called in for an interview for an Agent position, and landed the job.
“The process was great and very easy,” Pedram says of his experience with Amplio, “Abby was very friendly and helpful.”
Pedram, who started in the company’s call center, quickly proved himself and was promoted to a Junior Software Developer role within two months, earning a substantial pay raise.
“Pedram is incredibly bright,” shares Abby. “He’s very good with computers and even has a Networking Certificate. He is a very responsible young man.”
In addition to working hard at Lead Tag, he’s attending school to become an engineer, and even working as a D.J. on the weekends.
“I’m taking first year classes at Brookhaven, prerequisites for earning an engineering degree. This job has helped me build my resume and learn new skills. It’s also enabled me to make good money to pay my own bills.
Pedram has shown incredible resilience in the face of life’s challenges. Far from a strain on society, he and other refugees are proving their value—their tenacity, their talent, and intelligence—across the U.S.
At Ampio, we exist to connect you with this dependable Refugee Workforce. To learn more about the benefits of hiring refugees at your place of business, visit us online. We offer permanent and temporary staffing solutions. Give us a call to find out if the Refugee Workforce would make a great fit for your company today.
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