Boniface Mwangangi, Joseph Irungu, and John Mutuku met by chance in Dubai while looking for greener pastures.
In an interview with Chams Media, the three who work for the authority in charge of the Riyadh Metro, the largest system in the Middle East reflected on their journey that has seen them immigrate from Kenya to playing key roles in running the metro which is partly operational ahead of its complete opening slated for later this year.
Mwangangi, Irungu and Mutuku who currently work as Group Station Master, Station Operations Manager, and Station Manager respectively, did not know what the future held for them when they decided to venture into foreign shores.
Each of them travelled out of Kenya to pursue a different career path. While in Kenya, one of them was a barista, another a businessman and the last one worked in the hospitality industry.
During the interview, Mwangangi, who now serves as the Group Station Master explained starting out as a barista in Dubai. He narrated that this was uncharted territory for him borne out by circumstances. He advised those travelling abroad not to be picky with jobs.
"It all starts with exposure and experience, there are so many jobs out here. When you start interacting with people you can look for other jobs," he advised.
He noted that most people start out in the hospitality industry before venturing into their preferred careers later on. Mwangangi urged Kenyans to keep up their hardworking spirit while making ends meet.
The Group Station Master further emphasised that it is advisable to have goals when working in every field which will serve as performance indicators and a yardstick of how much one can grow.
On the other hand, Mutuku (Station Manager), went to Dubai to work in the hospitality industry before swiftly progressing to the transport industry, the Riyadh Metro.
He began as a customer service official while still learning the operations at the company.
Irungu also started as a customer service agent before switching departments. He now works as the Station Operations Manager. While in Kenya, Irungu was a businessman.
He explained that when they were recruited, they were taken through a crash course on how the metro works, geared at ensuring all of them have the required skills.
"New technology is unveiled every day, so you have to keep yourself up to date. These trainings are both physical and online," Mutuku remarked.
Meanwhile, Irungu also emphasised that there were a lot of opportunities for Kenyans and other migrants seeking better opportunities abroad.
The trio noted that the negative stories being shared were not the norm in Saudi Arabia. Mutuku explianed that an immigrant's experience depends on how each migrant interacts with locals.
Recently, the government announced plans to send more Kenyans abroad to secure competitive jobs, a move the government hopes will translate into increased diaspora remittances.
