More diversity in the workplace

The “amiga – Career Center for Internationals” has been supporting talented individuals from around the world for ten years.

Gäste beim amiga-Empfang im Foyer der VHS im Einstein

Encouragement and support

Like numerous other locations, Munich also urgently needs international professionals. And there are many talented individuals, often with a strong background in STEM, digital tech, or business, who want to come to Munich. But there are challenges to obtaining that dream job.

The amiga network’s particular qualities help professionals settle in, even if German bureaucracy and language issues pose an initial challenge. amiga achieves this through personal contact, useful tips, and above all: optimism.

The tenth birthday celebrations showed just how important that is. In addition, the organization provides practical advice, training, and contact with companies. To sum up: amiga helps international professionals and students with career planning, job seeking, and starting work in Munich.

Transnational exchange

Photo: Heidi Mayer, amiga

Ten years ago, initially with EU funding, projects were launched in Germany and Poland with the aim of “improving the social and professional integration of migrants in the local labor market”. In this way, “amiga” was born in Munich.

The lack of skilled workers was already notable in 2013. Ten years later, whole sectors are grappling with the issue.

Sharing knowledge at an international level and supporting skilled workers in new locations have thus become essential tasks, and the amiga – Career Center for Internationals is now well established in Munich.

Having gained ten years of experience, amiga is now in high demand as a useful point of contact for international professionals, graduates, and students. The team and numerous voluntary mentors know – often from their own experience – just what international workers need.

The Migrant Info Point, established in Poznań in Poland at the same time, is also still active. The teams at both locations have kept in touch over the years. This helps both organizations broaden their horizons.

The amiga success story

What is the secret of amiga’s success? A passionate team, a diverse network of partners, and a loyal amiga community consisting of participants and alumni.

Internationals and partners explain what characterizes amiga in this video.

Watch video on youtube.

Luz Santiago, IT Change Management Analyst

Tamara Osorio, Senior Consultant Cognitive and Analytics

Rita Tinajera, Transport Economist at Intraplan Consult GmbH

Annette Born, MVHS

Dr. Imme Witzel, ReDI School of Digital Integration

Tanja Schleifer, Envision Digital + amiga Business Expert

Philipp Ortlieb, OMMAX GmbH

Peter Braun, Validas AG

July 2023: amiga celebrates ten years

Committed to a common cause

amiga places particular emphasis on its strong network of partners, consisting of three core elements:

1) Companies

use amiga for employer branding, for example via “Business Talk”, the service center or the amiga Career Day, which was attended by more than 50 exhibitors and recruiters last year.

“For us as an employer the amiga network is a great opportunity to meet young, international career entrants and get them excited about electromobility and our company.”

Roland Bley, Head of Strategy and Innovation, EVA Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH

2) Volunteers from the business community

offer their services as experts in amiga seminars, to check CVs, or as job buddy. Currently around 50 amiga Business Experts share knowledge and experience of their respective sectors with participants. Sometimes even new friendships develop.

“The wonderful thing about this excellent initiative is the chance to share my long-time expert knowledge in the automotive industry as well as my own experience as a former international student, as I was in the same situation 30 years ago. And as an interculturalist, I understand the codes of the German working world.”

Marcelo Costa e Silva, Founder InterCultural InterFace and amiga Business Expert

3) Organizations with a focus on professional integration

Thanks to close cooperation with institutions/organizations that focus on professional integration, internationals learn about opportunities and services for learning German, starting training, dealing with residency issues, as well as other topics important to their professional paths.

Looking ahead, and contact details

What do the next ten years hold?

What does the amiga community of internationals, volunteers, partner organizations, and employers want in the future?

Learn more:

Watch video on youtube.

Learn more about:

MBQ - the City of Munich's labor market program

Ten years of amiga in figures

More than 6,000 internationals have come to amiga in the last ten years. They participated in around 350 seminars, partner events or workshops. Around 1,000 participants obtained advice in 1-to-1 consultations.

international participants

individual consultations

events

volunteers from the business community

Contact:

For internationals & volunteers

Sarah Schuster, Fabia Brandl, Paola Mior

For companies & network partners

Martina Dafinger, Fabia Brandl, Susanne Leupold