Student Success: Afghan Refugee builds a prosperous American future

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After working for the U.S. Army in logistics in war-torn Afghanistan, Mohammed Fayez Adli needed to leave his native country and make a new life in the U.S. To find work here, he needed help translating and applying his education and business experience to his adopted country.

Adli, as his friends call him, had skills. He already had an academic background in business, accounting and technology.

A connection with the Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA) of John Tyler and Reynolds Community Colleges led him to enroll in certification courses to become a Certified Logistics Associate (CLA) and Certified Logistics Technician (CLT). The eight-day program, focused on safety, quality control, supply chain management, receiving, and storage, were exactly what Mohammed needed to Fast Forward to his next career.

“The CLA and CLT classes convinced me that I needed to study logistics even further – everything was so clear. It was everything I needed to start working with a manufacturing or a logistics company,” he said.

Mohammed’s new interest and knowledge also led him to participate in the CCWA Logistx Games in May 2016, where he worked with a team to showcase their logistical skills. Shortly after, Mohammed was hired at Hudson Industries as a Manufacturing Production Planner in Richmond.

As an immigrant and refugee, Mohammed knows the value and importance of programs like his, “Opportunity comes with education so we can work together to build a strong and vibrant society,” he said. In addition to the Logistics and Transportation credentials Mohammed received, The Fast Forward program offers as many as 40 different career options for individuals looking to change their life in just weeks, not years.