Kamel Al Nazer Success Story

2015-12-22

“Over eight years have passed, and I am still in touch with a number of my Palestine Education For Employment classmates; they all went on to be very successful business people. Some of them hold important positions at banks, others at governmental institutions, and others work in international NGOs.”


Kamel Al Nazer smiles as he reflects on how his life has changed over the years.


In 2006, he had graduated from Al Azhar University in Gaza with a major in Accounting. “Accounting runs in our family” says Kamel, “My father, may God have mercy on his soul, was an accountant, and he encouraged me to work in this field. It honors me to follow his footsteps.”


After graduation, Kamel was keen on developing his skills in order to secure employment, so he looked for training opportunities in his field. This is when he heard about Palestine Education for Employment’s Mini MBA training program which focused on Accounting. “The program seemed like the perfect opportunity, so I applied without hesitation” says Kamel.


One of Palestine Education for Employment’s first training programs, the Mini MBA was 300 hours, conducted over the course of 3 months. The program which was supported by Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) included intensive English language skills training, specifically English as used in the accounting field, as well as training on an online business simulation program through which trainees conducted feasibility studies, market analysis, and prepared business plans. It covered different aspects of a business, namely, accounting, marketing, technical and financial management, and crisis management. 


After the training, Kamel was offered a job at Talal Abu Ghazaleh company, one of Palestine’s leading accounting and auditing firms. “I was first appointed as Junior Auditor, a position which I held for two years. During this time I pursued and received the Arab Certified Professional Accountant Certificate. This qualified me to be given a raise to become Senior Auditor. Today I am also responsible for foreign grants. It has been 8 years since I entered the firm” he says.


The English language training was a critical part for Kamel. “Learning specific accounting-related terminology really gave me a competitive edge when I started working, because English language skills are used on daily basis and they are important for success in this field.” says Kamel. In addition, the simulation program enabled him to get a better sense of how financial planning works in real life, unlike abstract theories he studied at university. “If it wasn’t for PEFE, I don’t think I could have gotten such unique opportunity, so I would like to thank PEFE for this program and all the work it does for supporting fresh graduates” says Kamel. 


Today, as a PEFE alumnus in touch with other PEFE alumni, and as a manager himself, Kamel believes that PEFE alumni are distinguished from others by their team-work skills and ability to handle work pressure due to the intensive, groups-based training they received.


In 2013, Kamel’s father passed away. “This was a very difficult time for us, especially in light of the unstable political situation in Gaza, but it made me stronger and wiser for my family and those who supported me. My new-found responsibilities pushed me to develop myself further, and having a secure job helped me in this mission” says Kamel.


In the future, Kamel aims to pursue a master’s degree in Business Administration or Finance so he can develop his skills further to be able to start his own business, he says “despite the challenges we face in Gaza on daily basis due to the charged political environment, the only thing I always focus on is how to develop myself, to be there for my family, and never lose hope for a better future.”

 

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