From Lecturer to Learning Assistant – Salma’s Journey to Restart Her Career 

Salma joined the Restart Scheme after arriving in the UK as a refugee from Sudan two years ago. Back home, she had built a successful career as a university lecturer in the Agriculture Department at the University of Sudan. When she was forced to leave her country, Salma faced a complete life change — moving from an established academic position to starting over in an unfamiliar environment. 

When Salma first came to our Fedcap Brighton office, she felt uncertain about how to rebuild her professional life in the UK. Despite her strong academic background, she struggled to navigate the UK job market and regain her confidence. Determined to move forward, she enrolled in ESOL classes to improve her English and embraced the support available through Fedcap. 

Working closely with her Employment Adviser, Monika, Salma received tailored support to help her take practical steps toward employment. Together they created a strong CV and cover letter that addressed her career gap, arranged for her to attend workshops to build her confidence and understanding of the UK job market, and held one-to-one sessions to prepare her for interviews. Monika also enrolled Salma on a one-week “Preparing to Work in Schools” course with Tempus, helping her gain valuable UK-based experience. Salma’s next problem came with obtaining a UK DBS check, due to the current situation in Sudan, obtaining the relevant documents was impossible. Monika liaised directly with Teaching Personnel, where they agreed that a Statement of Good Conduct from the University of Sudan would be accepted in place of a Sudanese criminal record — a crucial step that allowed Salma to progress. 

With her DBS now in place and her first UK work experience complete, Salma is ready to continue her career in the education sector. Although she is restarting at entry level, her achievement represents a huge personal and professional milestone, and Salma is confident that she will be able to work her way back to her previous level and possibly even higher. 

Speaking to Salma about her time on the Restart Scheme, she shared: 

“Thank you, Monika, for all your support. I am very happy to continue my career and start a new job, which seemed impossible at the beginning! I will miss our appointments and you.”