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A Passion for Education: Kinan Al Halabi’s “Be Taught” Driving School

Born in Syria, Kinan got an education and then fulfilled his duty to his country and served in the Syrian war. After the war, Kinan established himself in the teaching industry. For 15 years, Kinan spent his days as a computer science teacher. 

The Syrian war grew harsher and the living conditions became unlivable. Kinan had to sacrifice his home, his teaching career and his family to flee in 2015. He spent a year in Lebanon before coming to Australia at the end of 2016.

When Kinan first came to Australia, he was faced with a set of obstacles and challenges that no one could have prepared him for. He found that Australia’s employment opportunities were extremely limited when it comes to someone of his status. To get accustomed to the culture, Kinan studied English and found a job at Telstra as a business analyst, in which he worked for 5-6 months.

Kinan left his job at Telstra to pursue another venture – to be a driving instructor.

His brother-in-law has run a driving school for 25 years, which inspired Kinan to purchase a similar career path. Kinan finished his certificate and was now ready. With the help of Thrive, he started his business at the end of 2017 to provide for his family and to continue doing what he loves. Thrive provided Kinan with business financing and ongoing mentorship. 

After starting his own driving school, he utilised the skills that he gained from teaching in Syria and started providing students with the best possible service. His first couple of months were particularly difficult. However, with the help of his brother-in-law and connections with SSI (Settlement Services International) and Thrive, Kinan was able to gain new clients quickly. Unfortunately, COVID-19 forced Kinan to shut his business down for several months. However, with resilience and determination, he has been able to start up again.

Four years after Kinan received business financing from Thrive, he now runs a successful driving school and leads a comfortable life where his children are happy and supported. His core values of quality, gratitude and honesty are still his top priorities, which is why his clients are constantly raving about him.