Success Stories: Keren O. (STRIVE/New Haven Inc.)

	Keren is part of the IKEA Management Team.

Keren was born in Puerto Rico and, living in New Haven, she felt insecure about her language skills. Finding work always felt like a struggle for her. But once she signed up for STRIVE, she quickly improved her English-language skills, along with important job-readiness skills like interviewing and resume writing.

When IKEA was preparing to open in New Haven, STRIVE partnered with them to help build its team, and Keren was placed in a part-time job in Logistics Administration. And soon she became a full-time employee. "Before I came to IKEA, I used to be shy, not confident in myself, and I was afraid to speak because of my language barrier," says Keren. "STRIVE prepared me for a good job. IKEA gave me the opportunity to grow within the company; they encouraged and supported me all the way."

Opportunities continued to open up for Keren. With a manager's encouragement, she joined a training program that involved making presentations and speaking in front of large groups of co-workers. "This was the hardest experience ever for me." Keren gained a lot of confidence there, which accelerated her promotion to Logistics Coordinator. Now she is a strong member of the New Haven IKEA Management Team as an Inventory Specialist.

"I never dreamed I could be where I am today." Keren looks forward to a long future with IKEA, and her wish is to help others who face the same struggles in their working lives. As encouragement, she says: "Most important, push the limits to achieve your goals, and don’t give up until you accomplish them. If you fall, stand up and learn from the mistakes."

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