Brno Expat Centre Growing in Numbers

In September, we celebrated another milestone and opened our 15th season. But- we’re not growing only in years, but also in projects and goals. This autumn, we welcome five (five!) new team members, to manage the extended workload. Namely, in these areas:

1] Talent Attraction and Integration Management

In a global competition for skilled and talented professionals, countries and regions must stand out to attract their share. Brno is aware of this. To ensure the success of local companies, universities, and research institutions (in Brno and the surrounding region = #brnoregion), we need to attract and retain key professionals. The Czech Republic might boast one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, but the demand for skilled labour exceeds the supply.

To attract the much-needed skilled workers, Brno’s City Hall and the South Moravian Region coordinated efforts, and launched a new project, named Talent Attraction and Integration Management. This initiative aims to coordinate the efforts of key stakeholders within the innovation ecosystem—businesses, universities, and public services—to be welcoming, to be inclusive and to boost the visibility of the #brnoregion on the global stage and attract top talent.

Brno Expat Centre stands as a key player in this initiative. The project will not only promote Brno as a destination for skilled professionals from abroad but also aims to ensure that Brno becomes such a welcoming destination in truth, and that internationals are integrated into the local economy and society.

Thus, we welcome Frank van Bommel into our team, as the new coordinator of the TAIM project. With a wealth of experience in international business and a deep understanding of the needs of the region, Frank will be spearheading efforts to make #brnoregion a magnet for global talent.

2] Advocacy

Advocacy is all about driving changes that improve policies, norms, or systems to support a specific cause. It often involves campaigns, lobbying decision-makers, or using legal actions to create positive change and raise awareness.

For us at BEC, advocacy means working to improve policies, services, and support at the local, regional, and national levels to help you—expats and your families—settle and thrive in Brno. It involves understanding and highlighting your needs, careful strategic planning, and above all, systematic and continuous working with decision-makers. Through these efforts, advocacy aims to ensure you have access to resources and opportunities, while helping build more inclusive communities.

Our new advocacy specialist Míša Šuleřová has broad experience from both state institutions and business, having worked in roles ranging from ground-level positions to senior management. She will be driving forward important system changes. Míšo, welcome to the team!

Her first goals include: 1) amending legislation that would allow professional nannies to take their certification exams with an interpreter, no need to know Czech. And 2), making local bureaucratic institutions more open and helpful to all international incomers.

Our advocacy work goes hand in hand with talent attraction and integration. Once skilled professionals arrive, they should find a city and region ready to support and fully integrate them and their families, both into the community and economy.

3] Buddies

This year, we open a pilot program to connect newcomers with locals – through a buddy system. Lots of thought went into designing it – we’ve even had the help of social researchers from SocioFactor. And now, we’re very much excited to put it into practice. This initiative will initially be offered to employees and families of our partner companies, giving them the chance to create deeper connections within our community.

Leading the program will be Iva Poulíčková – another excellent addition to the team. Iva is the perfect fit: she has been a member of Brno’s international community for years. From the days of Toastmasters’ and Couchsurfing meetings, to working in Brno’s international corporations, she also has experience working for the City Hall, or for the project Czexpats in Science –  uniting Czech scientists across the world.

4] More consultants

And to support our core team of consultants, we’re happy to welcome new members into our front-line troops! A junior consultant, Marek Singer, and our office assistant, Praveena Obilisetty.

Marek has quickly become our go-to person for international students and universities. Since last September, when we first opened our doors to international students, we’ve seen a 50% increase in students seeking our assistance with their stay and career prospects in Brno.

Praveena is another fantastic addition—our first truly international colleague. She moved here with her husband just nine months ago and has become an integral part of our team as an office assistant and an invaluable insider for the Indian community.

Stay tuned to our channels (newsletter, Facebook) to be informed when we take these plans further!

Photo by Jiří Lubojacký. You can see the whole Brno Expat Team, the team members on parental leave, and some of our assistants.