Reyes’s journey began when he arrived in the United States in search of better opportunities to support his family. Over the past 26 years, he has built both his life and career, guided by the support of his family and a strong commitment to work.
Today, Reyes works for Chedraui USA’s administration and management department. What he enjoys most about his role is interacting with customers on a daily basis. In his position, English plays an essential role. He regularly serves customers from many different nationalities, many of whom do not speak Spanish. Being able to communicate in English allows him to better understand what customers are looking for and provide a higher level of customer service.
“We have a big variety of customers in our stores, and many of them don’t speak Spanish. That’s why it’s so important to learn the language 100%—to understand what they want and give them better service.” – Reyes
Thanks to the collaboration between English Advance (formerly English at Work) and Chedraui USA, Reyes began to feel more comfortable and confident when speaking in English. “Before, I tried to avoid situations where I had to speak English. Now I look for those opportunities to practice.”
He is now able to hold longer conversations with both customers and suppliers, and answer questions about products and store lines with greater confidence. One moment that stands out to Reyes was when he encountered an issue with a piece of equipment and decided to call the distributor directly. He completed the entire call in English and felt both fluent and confident in the language but also with himself. The technician confirmed that he had understood everything perfectly. In the past, he would have relied on a coworker with stronger English skills to make that call.
One of the things Reyes appreciates most about Chedraui USA is its commitment to investing in employees, helping them continue to develop and feel more comfortable in the workplace. This English class was also Reyes’ first experience with virtual learning. Although it was not held in person, he did not feel at a disadvantage.
What Reyes valued most about the course was the instructor’s constant encouragement to not be afraid of making mistakes. He learned that the focus was simply to speak and continue practicing. This mindset helped him overcome his fear and build confidence.
Reyes’ main motivation is his family. He is driven by their well-being, and by his desire to continue learning and growing within the company. He dedicated the completing of the course to his wife, who consistently encouraged him and reminded him to stay committed to his English classes.
The Forum would like to thank Sofia Guerra Oropeza, Workforce Advance Intern, for capturing this story.