Roman reached the goal of working in Norway: – Thrives here

Ever since he was a young boy, Roman has worked towards one goal

Ever since he was a young boy, Roman has worked towards one goal: “To get a job abroad and see the world.”

Then a knee injury and the pandemic seemed to shatter his dream – but Roman Kos did not intend to give up so easily.

– It was incredibly tough. I had worked so long for this. First, I injured my knee then came COVID-19. Now I’m just happy to be back in Norway, and grateful to have a good job, explains 30-year-old Roman Kos from Ukraine. He works as a Heavy Vehicle Mechanic in MAN Truck & Bus AS, Bergen. A slight miracle, we might add, as for a while Roman feared that his knee injury would end his career.

Now he is here, in the workshop in Bergen, with a smile on his face, while working on a bus in for a maintenance job. But first, let’s turn back time a little. Roman’s journey to Norway started when he was a child, it was his dream to see the world. He wanted to learn languages and experience new cultures.

Roman first went to Poland where we worked for three years and learned Polish. Roman thrived there, but he was eager to go to Scandinavia. He already started to learn Norwegian when he came across an advertisement from WiiSDA. They needed mechanics for a heavy truck workshop in Trondheim. Not long after, he boarded the plane.

But when everything seemed to fall into place, the downturn began.

Bad knee injury

On a winter day in 2019, on his way home from the store Roman slipped and injured his knee badly. He had to ask two passers-by for help calling for an ambulance.

Afterwards, the pain was so great, making it too difficult to function as a mechanic. He could forget his job as a mechanic in Trondheim. Roman began to worry about having to change pastures for office work. WiiSDA, however, did not want to give up hope, because they saw how much this meant to him.

– I remember I visited Roman in Trondheim, where he sat with his foot in a rail. He barely had time to talk to me – he was busy learning Norwegian. He was so dedicated. We agreed that as soon as he was able to work again, we would actively work to find him a new position, says Annette Rognstad, Managing Director of WiiSDA.

His knee improved, and at the same time as Roman returned home to Kiev on a planned holiday in February 2020, WiiSDA found a new job opportunity for him in Norway. But then Covid-19 hit the world, everything shut down and another opportunity went up in smoke.

– I am very happy for the support I received from the people in WiiSDA during these challenging times. They stayed in touch regularly, asked what I needed… Simply they showed me they cared, Roman says, candidly.

Got a new opportunity through WiiSDA

In the summer of 2020, WiiSDA heard that MAN Truck & Bus in Bergen was about to start a project and needed a mechanic with bus experience. Their thoughts went – of course – to Roman.

One and a half year later, we meet him in MAN’s workshop in Bergen. In full swing with the repair of a bus – and with a completely painless knee. He has started fishing, regularly goes for hikes in the Norwegian mountains, and soon plans on hiking ‘Trolltunga’. Yes, he has even become accustomed to the fact that it rains a ‘little’ more in Bergen than in Kiev.

MAN was so pleased with Roman that they kept him beyond the project he initially was there for.

– I’m incredibly happy to be here now. They have all made me feel welcome, and I am well looked after. The best thing about living here is probably the quality of life. And the beautiful nature, Roman says with a smile on his face.

Encourages others to come

He has joined WiiSDA’s events in Ukraine to share his amazing story and talk to his compatriots about Norway. During such events, the candidates always get a session where WiiSDA representatives leave the room, and only Roman stays, so they can ask him any questions they may have. This is to build trust and show that WiiSDA plays with open cards.

Generally, people are interested in learning more about actual working conditions, family, pension and type of contract.

– The short answer is that most things are better in Norway. There are much more proper work and living conditions. WiiSDA operates with professional contracts, either permanent contracts like the one I have now, or limited time-bound project contracts, as was the case of the bus project, so you are guaranteed predictability, he says.

We ask Roman what would he say if someone reads this and is unsure whether they want to work in Norway.

– Seize the opportunity. You get to see the world, and you get to develop personally and professionally. Talk to WiiSDA. I am very happy and can really recommend them, Roman concludes.