Success story of Pavlo Skliar
I am 42 years old and I am from Ukraine. In 2022, I came to Germany with my family – my wife and two children – because of the war in Ukraine. In my home country, I studied mechanical engineering and worked there as an engineer for over 10 years. Since March 2025, I have been employed full-time on a permanent contract as a qualified maintenance technician at S-Bahn Hamburg GmbH.
My start in Hamburg
At the beginning of my time in Germany, I spent six months trying to decide whether to stay in Germany with my family or return to Ukraine. My children wanted to go back to Ukraine, which made the decision even more difficult for me.
At some point, I realised that the situation in Ukraine was not going to improve any time soon, so I decided to stay in Germany with my family. After my arrival, I felt very supported by society, which made it easier for me and my family to settle in. In addition, my sister, who has been living in Hamburg for over 10 years, was a great help to us.
Since March 2025, I have been working in Hamburg as a qualified maintenance technician at S-Bahn Hamburg GmbH and I am very proud to have been offered this job. Here, I repair and maintain the S-Bahn trains, which includes replacing wear parts such as axles, gearboxes and brakes. I really enjoy the work and feel at home in the company. My colleagues are nice, supportive and very understanding.
My personal tip for anyone starting out
I have some advice for people who are new to Hamburg: it is important to set goals and actively strive to achieve them. I also recommend learning German and completing the recognition process.
My path to the job: How the HWC made it easier for me to get started
I would describe my path into the German labour market as ‘long’. In my home country, Ukraine, I studied mechanical engineering and worked as an engineer for almost twelve years after completing my studies.
On my way into the Hamburg labour market, I was supported by several teams at the Hamburg Welcome Center (HWC). Without the help of the HWC, it would have been difficult to develop career prospects in Germany.
Before I started working in Germany, I attended several language courses up to language level B2 and took part in job application coaching organised by the Jobcenter.
Another important step was to have my Ukrainian mechanical engineering degree recognised. I received advice and support from the Central Recognition Office (ZAA). I have meanwhile received certification that my Ukrainian university degree is equivalent to a German one and am officially allowed to use the professional title ‘engineer’.
My employment agent at the HWC actively supported me in my job search by pointing out events and sending me potential job vacancies. I was supported before and after starting work with various measures and subsidies. The Labour Market Service helped me search for an internship.
However, I also showed a lot of self initiative and put effort into finding work. In May 2024, I attended an open day at S-Bahn Hamburg to get to know the company better. On the advice of my employment agent, I sent a proactive application to S-Bahn Hamburg and was invited to an interview.
While I was still waiting for a response from S-Bahn Hamburg, I received a job offer for a position as a service technician from the Joint Employer Service (gAGS). I worked there for two days on a trial basis and was then offered the job. Almost at the same time, I also received an offer from S-Bahn Hamburg. After careful consideration, I decided to take the position as a qualified maintenance technician at S-Bahn.
Until now, we have been living in a small flat where my two children had to share a room – thanks to my new job, that will soon be a thing of the past. My goal was to find a good job and a suitable flat for my family. With the support of the HWC, I have achieved this goal and I am very proud of that.
What the HWC means to me
Please note: This is a translation of the interview. It was originally conducted in German.
Did this story give you courage?
The Hamburg Welcome Center is a central point of contact for all matters relating to professional integration for people who are immigrating or have immigrated to Hamburg, as well as for companies and employers.