I came to the UK in 2016 from Iraq. Before that I was living in Syria. I'm a refugee here and started working here as a barber, where I did haircuts and styling, talked to clients and cleaned the salon. I really loved the work, particularly building good relationships with customers. However, due to COVID-19 I can't do this anymore. It's a very difficult time for everyone I think. Everything has changed, we can't see our friends like we used to, everyone has to live online!
I'm working with Beam to improve my finances now and for the future. The first step is to get into work as a warehouse operative. I've realised since I stopped working that it's very hard to have a normal life without it, so I need to get a role where I can create some stability.
Following that, I want to work with computers. This is where my real passion lies. It's hard to explain, but I really enjoy creating new systems. I'm grateful that Beam is helping to fund an IT course so I can start in this career in the future.