“One day I saw an advertisement on social media and that changed my life”, says Mohammad Faisal, a 23-year-old Syrian, living in Turkey’s south-eastern metropole, Gaziantep. He is now working as foreign trade responsible of a local elevator manufacturer which also exports to the EU markets and the Middle East.

Pursuing his studies in his final year at International Trade and Logistics Department of Gaziantep University, Mohammad has been working at the company for 8 months. “I have clients from 10 countries, and I am trying to help my company to expand to other markets as well” he says.

Mohammad coincided with the “Foreign Trade and International Marketing Training” advertisement of UNDP and Gaziantep Chamber of Industry, on social media. He did not hesitate to apply. “In a couple of days, I had a call from Gaziantep Chamber of Industry, and after a short interview, I was invited to a 2-month length training on foreign trade and international marketing. I can speak Arabic, Turkish and English, and I think that made the difference” he adds.        

He spends most of his time at his desk, between e-mails, phone calls, export proposals and foreign trade regulations. He also has visitors; some clients prefer meeting this young foreign trade responsible in person. Face to face business contacts and in-person negotiations are still effective old-style business and trade making methods, in this part of the world.

“Normally I am a very social person. I like meeting with new people, I like negotiating with my clients. Sometimes it can be boring to remain at the desk all day, without making face to face contact with a client” says the 23-year-old export responsible and soon to be graduated university student.      

When Mohammad was accepted to the training programme by the UNDP and Gaziantep Chamber of Industry, he was also put in touch with Gaziantep based companies, who were looking for Arabic speaking talents for their exports markets. “I made another interview at this company, for foreign trade responsible position, mainly for managing the Arabic speaking client portfolio of my company. I went to my first interview, and I got this job. This is my first corporate job” he says.

His biggest dream is becoming a self-employed entrepreneur in the future. He’s now taking business English classes in the weekends to improve his marketing, sales and commercial negotiation skills in English. “When I accomplish this, I’ll learn another language, that’s for sure” he emphasizes.  

Back in his hometown Aleppo, Syria, he worked in his family business, retail and wholesale on socks and shoes. “One day, I’ll become an entrepreneur, build up my own company and make use of everything I’ve learned in trainings and at my job. This is my biggest dream” he says and adds “I don’t know why socks and shoes. We used to deal with these with my family back in Syria. It was funny and believe me it’s a very profitable business elsewhere in the world. Don’t mistake with socks and shoes!”  

As all university students in their twenties, Mohammad also likes hanging around with his friends; both Turkish and Syrian. “There were both Syrians and Turkish at UNDP’s training programme where I made a lot of friends. Now that I am working, we cannot see each other like we used to, but I miss my friends and try to arrange my daily routine” he says.

“I have never expected financial support from anyone, because I’m a student and a Syrian in Turkey, I do not believe that works. With education, training, language, skills and jobs, it will get better. One can be self-reliant with this kind of support. Every day I am learning new things, and I know, it will pay off”.