Creating new opportunities

Through a pilot project led by WSP Parkstad, in partnership with DocMorris and other regional organizations, asylum seekers are getting a pathway into medical logistics.

Two new colleagues, Lalisa and Osamah – who have been in the Netherlands for over a year – are the first participants in this pilot project within DocMorris’s logistics team. The project started in collaboration with WSP Parkstad, with the aim of connecting employers facing employment barriers.

"I applied for more than 50 jobs. No one wanted to hire me,“ says Osamah. ”I was surprised when, with the help of WSP Parkstad and Wiertz Company, I was given the opportunity to start working at DocMorris in the logistics department. Now I have a paid job!"

This collaborative project was launched by several regional companies to help asylum seekers find employment in the Netherlands. Britt Fielitz, coordinator MedTech and Smart Services at WSP Parkstad, is positively enthusiastic about the results:

“Thanks to this collaboration, we were able to start the pilot in May, together with various MedTech companies in the Parkstad region. We hope that their story will inspire other companies to give asylum seekers a chance too. Working with asylum seekers is going so well at DocMorris that we are going to expand. Two other MedTech companies have already signed up.”

Pascal, team leader at DocMorris, speaks highly of his new team member: “He's far too modest. Lalisa had mastered 80% of the job within two days. He learned the rest in the weeks that followed. Those are tasks we do less often, so they just take a little more time. He's smart and learns incredibly quickly."

Lalisa and Osamah enjoy working in logistics and feel at home at DocMorris: “I even ask if I can work more hours,” says Osamah with a smile. “If I didn't like the work, I wouldn't do that.”

A smooth start at DocMorris was also ensured for Lalisa and Osamah. Maikel Heijing, aftercare coach at WSP Parkstad, explains: “They can always come to me, but they ask most of their questions on site. That says a lot about how well the guidance from DocMorris and Wiertz Company is organized.”

Maikel highlights the importance of the first weeks on the job: “At DocMorris, buddies and dedicated team leaders ensure a warm welcome. That solid foundation instills confidence and ensures a smooth start in the workplace.” Thanks to the initiative of WSP Parkstad and the pilot collaboration in the DocMorris logistics department, more asylum seekers are now getting the chance to find their place in medical logistics.

For this pilot project, DocMorris has been collaborating with their inhouse recruitment partner Wiertz Company, an organization that offers HR-related services.

Learning the language is essential when starting a new job, as Kenny Gijemes, consultant of Wiertz Company, notes: “We will look at how we can help them further, for example with a basic Dutch course or a language café.”

Osamah shares his perspective: “There are many asylum seekers with work experience who are eager to work. But they often don't know how to take the first step towards a paid job,” says Osamah. That's when good guidance makes all the difference.

Thanks to the initiative of WSP Parkstad and the pilot collaboration in the DocMorris logistics department, more asylum seekers are now getting the chance to find their place in medical logistics.

Lalisa and Osamah’s positive experience marks just the beginning of this successful partnership. A follow-up project is already in motion: starting in September, nine asylum seekers will join partner companies. Good news: Most of them will work at DocMorris, while two will join Medtronic and one will join Ceva Logistics.

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