Leaving it all behind
Amir Ansari was 13-years-old when he began training to be an Electrician in Iran. After fleeing his home and resettling in Melbourne he completed his study and now the fully qualified tradesman is helping other refugees with their Apprenticeships.
Amir’s journey to Australia wasn’t an easy one. Before he arrived in Melbourne, he fled his home country of Iran to Dubai and Jakarta. He then spent two years in a refugee camp on Christmas Island, “I had to leave everything like my business, my family, everything. It was hard but I got through it, I just held onto hope life would get better,” Amir said.
When Amir arrived in Melbourne at 26, he was determined to find work as an Electrician – a trade he started when he was just 13, “In Iran, you can go to TAFE when you are little. I was 13, and after that I went to university and then I started a business at 20,” he said.
Unfortunately, Amir’s qualifications didn’t register in Australia, which meant he had to repeat his Apprenticeship. Without support, formal qualifications, or connections, it was a challenging journey for him. However, in 2018, he connected with Mas National and received the much-needed support. Mas National guided him through the process of starting an Australian Electrical Apprenticeship, “Mas have been very supporting, when I called them they immediately signed me up as an Apprentice and made the process very easy,” he said.
Never losing faith. The determination to succeed, backed by a trusted Apprenticeship Support Network.
For the next four years, Amir was committed to finishing his Apprenticeship – even commuting two hours daily from Victoria to Geelong. By August 2022, he had successfully completed his Apprenticeship and immediately pursued additional training to obtain licenses in air-conditioning and solar battery. He then established his own business, Once Upon a Time Electric, servicing properties across metropolitan Melbourne.
Within seven months, Amir not only hired his first apprentice, but had also signed up his second apprentice through Mas National again, “I remembered how easy the whole process was when they signed me up and decided to use them again,” he said.
Despite achieving many goals throughout his career, his mission extends beyond personal success. Amir is now helping other refugees with their apprenticeships, “I’ve seen a few businesses treat their apprentices with migrant backgrounds pretty poorly so I wanted to help other refugees. One of my apprentices didn’t get paid for nine months which is why I told him to do his apprentice through me,” he said.
Mas Business Consultant Gino Tota said Amir’s journey was truly inspiring, “It’s wonderful to see him continue to thrive, giving back to the community. He has overcome incredible challenges showing remarkable resilience. Amir intends to keep growing his business and support other refugees, which is a testament to his strength and determination. We are proud to support individuals like Amir on their journey to success.”
Amir is now in the process of finalising his Permanent Residency, and when he is not on the job, he is spending quality time with his wife and young daughter.