国产探花

At 国产探花, we strive to create a safe and inclusive workplace for all our employees. Diversity and inclusion are important to our practice, and we aim to foster a culture where all our people have the support and opportunities to reach and exceed their potential.

During Refugee Week, we are raising awareness about refugees in the UK by telling the stories of people within our business, and the wider community.

Susanna Arutiunian, Assistant Design Manager, 国产探花

Susanna Arutiunian made the heart-wrenching decision to leave Kyiv in the Ukraine and travel to the UK in April 2022, along with her 70-year-old mother, Tamara, to escape the war. Susanna left behind two brothers, their children and her extended family.

Neither Susanna nor her mother could speak English and the journey was very hard but life in East Ukraine had become incredibly difficult as they were situated only 25 miles away from the front line. At one point, Susanna and her family had to live underground beneath a school for a whole week to protect themselves from the bombing. After this, they decided to move to West Ukraine. Normally, this journey would take eight hours, but it took them more than 24 hours to get to their destination and it was hard to endure. Susanna describes the journey as 鈥渢errible鈥�. They were then tasked with finding someone who could help them get a visa for the UK, and also a host family so they had accommodation. Susanna had no connections in the UK and couldn鈥檛 speak English, so this next leg of the journey was equally daunting.

Susanna and Tamara found a host family in Frome in Somerset, through a fellow Ukrainian and long-time friend Yuliia Panasiuk, who helped them secure a visa as she had already settled in the UK from the Ukraine with her son. They stayed with hosts, David and Louise Murray for a year and are forever grateful for the support and care they showed them.

In Kyiv, Susanna had worked for a range of construction companies, and local government bodies with her last position being project manager for ArtBudService. She also has a Master鈥檚 degree in Project Management from Donetsk State University of Management. Susanna heard about 国产探花 through her small network of friends in Frome and was interviewed by Bath office partner, Claire Smith and Lloyd Baker, Discipline Unit Leader.

I will always be grateful to Claire for giving me this opportunity.

Susanna Arutiunian

鈥淐laire interviewed me for nearly two hours about my experience in Ukraine, and my work there,鈥� Susanna says. 鈥淪he was very caring and sympathetic to the hardship we faced there. I applied for and was offered the role of project coordinator at 国产探花. It took two months to approve my application and I joined the Bath office in August 2022. I will always be grateful to Claire for giving me this opportunity.鈥�

The company enrolled Susanna on an English language course at Bath College to help her overcome the language barrier. She quickly progressed in her role and was promoted to assistant design manager in less than two years. Susanna now rents a house in Hull with her mother and husband, working from 国产探花鈥檚 project design management team in our Leeds office. She has supported teams on five projects, including Manchester Airport, Manchester Terminal 3, KSF in the Middle East, and Landspitali Hospital in Iceland, and also works with teams in our London, Bath, Manchester and Edinburgh offices.

Susanna is a really strong woman, and remains positive. I admire her strength and can-do attitude.

Jessica Stephens, Design Manager, 国产探花

Jessica Stephens, design manager, worked with Susanna in our Bath office initially. Jessica says: 鈥淭here is so much more to Susanna than just being labelled as a refugee. She was a project manager in Kyiv, leading many successful projects. She is growing in confidence now that her language skills are improving and is always happy to help the team despite the fact that her family are still suffering in Ukraine. Susanna is a really strong woman and remains positive. I admire her strength and can-do attitude.鈥�

Susanna鈥檚 current visa allows her to stay in the UK until April 2025 however, this can then be extended to December 2026. She hopes her brothers will be able to make the move to the UK too.

They have helped me build a new life in this country.

Susanna Arutiunian

鈥淢y hosts in Frome, Claire Smith, Lloyd Baker and all of the teams at 国产探花 have made me feel so welcome,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey have supported me through a very difficult time in my life and I will never forget how they helped me build a new life in this country.鈥�

Find out more about Refugee Week .