Learning English is a vital part of career advancement for many immigrants in the United States. For Maria Quilla, enrolling in English at Work through her position at Whole Foods Market not only increased her English fluency, but provided her with new professional skills as well.
In 2000, Maria immigrated to the United States from Peru with the hopes of building a better life. After moving to New York, where some of her relatives already lived, she frequently heard her cousin discuss his job at Whole Foods Market: “He started in the bakery and now is a technician in the company. He has worked at Whole Foods for more than 20 years and mentioned it all the time. So, in my head, I was like ‘That’s a good company!’”
In 2020, Maria began working in the Whole Foods Market Customer Service and Store Support Department. As a cashier, she interacts with customers daily. “I really like to be in contact with customers and provide good service. I like that I am always talking to someone. I always try to practice my English. In the beginning it was hard, but I ask questions when I don’t know. There is so much to learn and I am really happy at my job.” She is grateful to work in an environment where learning is encouraged: “I am very shy when there is something I don’t understand. But my manager always says, ‘Don’t be shy! If you don’t understand, just ask.’ When someone comes to me, even if they speak Spanish, I ask them to speak English. It’s the only way you can learn.”
When Maria learned about the opportunity to take an English course through Whole Foods Market’s partnership with English at Work, she eagerly signed up. She tells us, “It is the first time I had a company give me an opportunity to study English. I saw the flyer in the lunch room, and decided to take the class. I was very excited. It showed me they care about their employees. They really care.”
Maria particularly appreciated that English at Work provided a curriculum that was contextualized to her workplace, enabling her to practice her English language skills while enhancing her job performance. “This class has helped me a lot. Everything was about how to speak to the customer, the manager, the team leader. I always practice at the worksite. All the classes help me with my job in Customer Service and in the Produce Department. If I’m at work, I’ll remember ‘Oh, I had that in the class! This is how I need to pronounce that.’”
As an avid student, Maria appreciated that her instructor provided constructive criticism and helped her navigate more nuanced language etiquette. “I loved my teacher Nancy. Some words, she says you cannot say. Maybe I say something, and the customer thinks that it is rude. She tells me when I speak to her or to the group in class during conversation. I like it when someone tells you, ‘You are doing so well, but you need to fix this.’”
Although Maria started working at Whole Foods Market during the height of the pandemic, she tells us that she felt very safe and appreciated by her employers. “In the beginning, the pandemic was very stressful. But the company really cares about our safety. One day I didn’t feel well, they called me three or four times to ask me how I was. During the pandemic, they are taking care of me and my family. That’s something that I really appreciate about the company.” Knowing that her company has her and her coworkers’ best interests at heart, she wants to continue working at Whole Foods and develop her career with the company: “They train me and teach me many things. If they give me an opportunity, I will take it. I really want to grow at the company.”
Having completed the English at Work course, Maria hopes to continue developing her language skills in the future. “I’m so glad I took this class as part of Whole Foods. I absolutely want to take more classes. If I practice, my English will be more improved. If I take more classes, my life will be changed a lot.”
The National Immigration Forum would like to thank Kathryn Keyser, Integration Programs intern, for capturing this story.