Refugees, boundary crossing careers and professional identity Catherine Jones & Dr Kate Mackenzie Davey, Birkbeck, University of London Bringing the conference to a close with three themes Careers and boundaries, identities and occupations and refugees Work done with a MSc student, Catherine Jones, who works as a career counsellor and coach.

Refugees and professional career boundaries Refugees cross many boundaries: costly emotionally, economically and professionally (Pietka-Nykaza 2015) Employment positively linked to successful adaptation (Smyth and Klum 2010) But Barriers to entering previous occupations are high (Yaskushko et al 2008) (8=95% unemployed Urschelar 2017) Often in low skill, low status jobs despite qualifications and skills in demand in UK economy (Bimrose and McNair 2011; Bloch 2004)

Identity and refugees Imposed identity replacement – professional identity replaced with collective identity as ‘refugee’ or ‘asylum seeker’ (Morrice 2011) Professional identity: continuity linking past experience to current self perception and possible future orientation (Ertorer 2014) Research Question: How do refugees negotiate career boundaries around professional identity?

Method Qualitative Research Individual interviews & focus groups Semi-structured interviews with 15 education & medical professional refugees to UK (1-14) Audio recording and transcription Thematic analysis Boundaries and transitions identified Role of professional identity emerged as key theme and mapped onto narratives

Findings Narratives Ongoing professional identification Accommodate to new identification Denial of professional identity Themes/stages Professional identification Lack of recognition Identity loss Skill use Accommodation

1. Professional Identity “when you are a doctor like from another country from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan or like African country when you say oh I was an anaesthetist, I am an anaesthetist, say ok so it means that you are not, are not here” (Nazreen, Doctor) “when you hear managers say you used to be a teacher, I’m like no I am a teacher, I don’t know why you don’t get to train to be a teacher then you’re not a teacher, I’m not practising but I am a teacher” (Grace, former Teacher now Social worker) “that’s my identity, I worked hard since I’m a child to get that qualification and I see, and I see just lose from me without reason, er, it’s very hard” (Mariama, Pharmacist)

2. Bounded Professions “as soon as I got the job I was told that you are not qualified teacher. They referred to me as a trainee teacher. I really felt, I’d gone miles down” (Michael, Head Teacher) “they don’t want to understand where you’re coming from, what you’ve done before and the moment you try to disclose more information about yourself they get completely confused” (Babukar, Doctor) “you show them that you are a pharmacist and you want to work in that field the first thing they say to you ‘be realistic, you are not going to work here as a pharmacist’.” (Mariama, Pharmacist)

3. Exclusion “here nobody knows me, my experience, my professionalism, ask me about my experience and I explain...” (Shireen, Doctor) “you are nothing, you are not paying taxes, you are not a doctor, you are not anything” (Mohammed, Doctor) “I am just a person with no qualifications” (Mariama, Pharmacist)

4. Skills: bend, claim, deny “when we came in and did care work and the support work we always actually believed we’ve more to offer because we have got that educational background” (Grace, Teacher) “NHS should use me, they must use me, because based on my knowledge, or medical knowledge based on personal skills, medical skills so they should use me at least as a dental hygienist or as a dental therapist but if I’m working as a cleaner I think it is so bad.” (Rafi, Dentist) “I will not mention that I have these skills, I will not mention.” (Mariama, Pharmacist)

5. Accommodation “we are now back to where we were, I think it has taken me fourteen years to go back to what, where, what I was back home, having a home, having a weekend, even money enough to go and do silly stuff with but it took fourteen bloody years, ‘twas painful but well worth it” (Mary, Teacher) “I’m now working as a health care assistant and I’m happy that I’m working with patients” (Farshad, Doctor) “I am not happy, I am also with health care assistant, it is relevant to my profession….but no I’m still not happy…because when I was in my country I was the top” (Nazreen, Doctor)

Results summary Professional identification effects complex, generally, but not always, positive Provides alternative identity to refugee But frustration at lack of recognition Narrative positions Ongoing identification: anger at exclusion Compromise: draw on existing professional skills to redefine boundaries Exclude: to provide for family need to deny professional qualifications

Overview Recognise professional boundary re-definition Professional identity label as both enabling and limiting Negotiating shifts to build on existing skills Facilitate networking with insiders Balance positive professional identification and performative recognition

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