My 20 years in Australia

On 22nd May 2022, 08:20 PM, I have completed my 20 years in Australia.

I would like to thank all my framily, friend, managers, colleagues, mentors, coaches, and teachers for:

a. Helping me

b. Supporting me

c. Trusting me

d. Showing faith in me

e. And standing with me in difficult times.

My personal and professional success was and will not possible without the huge contributions by everyone around me (either little or small).

I migrated to Australia in 2002 with the aim to grow and achieve milestones in my professional career and life. It was a very difficult journey in the beginning with so many unknowns, fear, uncertainty, doubts and many other parameters, but continuous support from my close family and friends helped me in countering them and moving forward with confidence and courage.

During first year, I was standing on service station earning 6$ an hour and I was thinking "Am I here for this”? One night I was arm hold by robbers and luckily survived. Same year in Dec 2002, I was victimized by the intoxicated people in service station and left deep marks in me which lasted for years.

In 2003, got my first role in IT and my salary went up to 13$ an hour for 1 year. To meet living expenses, I started working for security which lasted for 3 years along with regular IT related support job. Some weeks I was working 48 hours straight without sleep (swapping between IT and security shift) and one week I worked for 100 hours for just 11$.

Later, I found this hardwork has actually given me resilience for the rest of my career.

In 2008, when I started working with IBM got me what I was looking and then never looked back and just moved on.

In 2013, opportunity with GE another milestone for my career where I work with professionals and manager across different continents and growth was hitting to the roof.

Then in 2017, after GE made my position redundant, was the hardest time for my personal and professional career since 2008 but then my parents, wife, friends and some colleagues stood for me, backed me up and provided their unconditional love and support to me to survive and revive.

At that time, my two managers (CIO for GE) who extended their unconditional support and provided me opportunity to work to continue my living. I am extremely obliged and can't thank enough to them.

I am putting few highlights which I can remember but there are definitely much more which I don't remember at point in time.

1. 2004-2009: Master’s degree in Networking
2. 2008: First breakthrough in my career with IBM
3. 2008 - 2011: SVP for Pakistan Tahreek Insaaf (Australia)
4. 2009: Setup first platform for IT Immigrants (Sydney IT Jobs)
5. 2009-2012: Master’s degree in internetworking
6. 2011: Leadership Training and Certification
7. 2013-2017: GE ANZ Infrastructure role (cross-culture people, leadership, autonomy, global role)
8. 2014-2017: Few Volunteer opportunities (Evercoach, CompTIA, UTS)
9. 2016 – Forensic Teacher for TafeNSW
10. 2017: Live TV Interview in Pakistan for IT Growth
11. 2017-2019: Career downfall which lasted for 2 years (full of learning)
12. 2019: NLP and TimeLine Therapy Prac Training and Certification
13. 2019 - 2022: DXC another amazing job (work with so many wonderful people and new learnings)
14. 2020: NLP and Time Master Prac Training and certifications
15. 2021: Accelerated Coaching Certification
16. 2021: Guest Speaker at CSU (on Graduation Day - addressed 200 people)

My post is not to discuss my accomplishments but it is to acknowledge and pay my regards to all around me who helped me and contributed towards my growth and success.