Global Skills Hub couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce you to Abdurrahman Ghanem (Abdu), a highly talented Software Developer whose story begins in Egypt. The thriving Egyptian startup scene has been the training ground for many world-class talents, and Abdu is no exception.

Abdu’s love for technology began in his youth, starting with his love for video games as a child, to tinkering with BASIC and watching the code execute. He explains, “Like all other kids, I loved playing video games when I was younger. I wanted to learn how they worked which sparked my interest in computers at an early age.” As Abdu grew older, his interest in computers grew with him and he completed a degree in Computer Science and Systems Engineering from the University of Alexandria. Over his career, his talent grew, and motivations evolved to a passion for leveraging technology to make people’s lives easier, taking a particular interest in consumer software products.

PAST EXPERIENCES

After graduation, Abdu began work at a startup in Alexandria called Vimov as a Software Engineer. During his four years at Vimov, Abdu worked on teams building products from the ground up allowing him to gain both valuable technical and business experience. It was during this time that Abdu developed a love for startups, stating, “I love the culture of startups. You become a part of a big family. The friendships you develop at work make all the long hours and hard work enjoyable. You meet a lot of lovely people at larger companies as well, but the bond isn’t quite the same.”

In 2013, Abdu was offered a job at the Qatar Computing Research Institute which shifted his life to Qatar for 6 years where he conducted research and developed tools and frameworks to help solve real-life problems. It was during his time in Qatar that Abdu got the opportunity to visit Canada on four separate occasions. He travelled to Vancouver, Montreal, Banff, and Ottawa and was immediately taken by the natural beauty and the friendliness of the people. “Life in Qatar was very comfortable. Its vibrant culture, the kindness of the Qatari people, friendships I’d built, and even the sports activities were very attractive. I also enjoyed a good job, good pay, and good benefits; however, I wanted to challenge myself and try something new,” he explains. “When I visited Canada, I immediately saw it as a place that I could one day call home.” It was these trips, along with the desire to get back into the startup world, that solidified his decision to make the move to Canada.

GLOBAL SKILLS HUB

While searching for different immigration options, Abdu’s friend recommended Global Skills Hub (GSH). “I’ve had a very successful experience with Global Skills Hub. I got connected to Yousuf (Co-founder and CEO of GSH) and after a quick chat, I was connected to the Talent Team who helped me navigate the interview process” he says. “The whole team has been extremely helpful with every single step of my journey to Canada and I’ve already recommended the program to many of my colleagues back home.”

KIK

It was through Global Skills Hub that Abdu was able to secure a position at KIK, as a Software Developer. He says of his experience, “My first couple of weeks have been great so far. I spent my first-week meeting lots of people from different teams and everyone has been very friendly and helpful. The team gave me a really nice welcome basket with jackets and socks and many other things, which was a really kind gesture. The facilities are amazing. Overall, I’m very excited and happy.”

Future Plans

Reflecting on his first couple of weeks, Abdu says he is “cold, but comfortable.” He’s taking time to slowly explore his surroundings and has already made many plans.

Abdu, who is an avid runner who has competed in various international competitions, is planning a 60K run around the perimeter of the Kitchener/Waterloo area when the weather gets nicer and wants to travel and see more of Canada. As for his future, Abdu plans on settling down, buying a house, and eventually starting his own startup.

Global Skills Hub is fortunate to have met Abdu and we are proud to have helped lay these stepping stones on his journey.