By Caroline Wong
When Cleo Valencia moved from El Salvador to Los Angeles in 2019, she brought with her a strong work ethic and a desire to provide a good life for herself and her sons.
Valencia currently works part-time as a warehouse associate at an Amazon Fresh store in Woodland Hills – one of the first of its kind in California when it opened. Although initially looking for work in her field of information technology, she finds her customer-facing role in the retail store rewarding.
“The thing that I enjoy is when I have the tools and knowledge when people need help to approach a problem or to find a new or faster way to do things,” Valencia says. “I like to see the happy faces of the customers when they say, ‘Oh, you made my day today.’ And I can feel that happiness when my work is valuable to other people.”
Finding a home
No stranger to hard work, Valencia, while in her 20s, studied IT at a community college in California through a study-abroad scholarship program. She then returned to El Salvador where she worked in information technology for 25 years. When she came back to the U.S., she was looking for an opportunity with a company that would offer her opportunities to learn new skills and advance her career.
She found what she was seeking with Amazon.
“One of the things I like is the work environment because, during the three years that I have been with Amazon, all the managers, my co-workers, are always available to help,” Valencia explains. “If you don’t know how to do something, they will explain it to you and give you all the equipment, all the tools you need to use to do things better.”
She also appreciates the culture of inclusion she enjoys as an Amazon employee.
“When you open the door to clock in, you feel different,” Valencia says. “You feel like you are in a second family. You have that kind of feeling that you don’t want to leave Amazon.”
New opportunities
While Valencia enjoys her job on Amazon’s retail side, her goal is to transition to a role in data analytics. Amazon is making her dream possible through Springboard, a workforce development company that provides upskilling and reskilling courses through Amazon’s Career Choice program.
Career Choice is an education benefit that empowers employees to learn new skills for career success. They offer a range of options including pre-paid college tuition, foundational skills (like GEDs and English language programs), and industry certifications to meet learners where they are on their career path.
Valencia utilized Career Choice to enroll in Springboard track in data analytics in February. Through the eight-month program, which Amazon covers the cost of, she learned business statistics, concepts, analytics and visualization tools that include Excel, SQL, Python, Power BI and Tableau, plus advanced analysis techniques.
To her surprise, Valencia found even more.
As part of the Springboard program, Valencia was paired with a mentor who met with her weekly to encourage her and help her find the right approach to resolve situations in her coursework. She also learned how to look for a job, create a resume and build a professional network in the area in which she wants to work.
“That was a plus for me because I didn’t expect it,” she says.
Setting an example
Valencia says working for Amazon allows her to balance family life, her work and her social life while earning a decent wage to provide a comfortable life for herself and her sons.
More importantly, she says, “It’s given my sons the opportunity to see me as an example that if you work hard, your dreams can come true.”
It’s that culture of helping employees get ahead that makes Amazon a special place to work, she adds.
“This is the philosophy that makes you want to be part of that family. And when I’m driving and I see the truck with the Amazon smile, I know I’m part of them, and I’m so proud to be there.”
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