Akram’s Hope Story: If at First You Don’t Succeed

Hi my name is Akram and this is my hope story…

I arrived from Iraq in October 2016 and brought with me my experiences and had a great grasp of the English language; I quickly became an interpreter for Catholic Charities. I enjoyed getting to know the staff and clients here at Catholic Charities, but I was eager to land a more permanent job with regular working hours. In January of this year, I was given the opportunity to interview for a car parts manufacturing company. The company liked me and I was offered and accepted the position. After I informed the company of a small surgery I needed to have in late January, I was told that my spot could not be held until after the surgery. I was disappointed, but I continued interpreting for Catholic Charities, hopeful of another job opportunity. In February, a product manufacturing company approached the Employment team asking for a potential employee. They needed someone who was able to get themselves to and from work, could read, write, and speak English, and a hard worker. The Employment team thought I might be a good fit for the position. I interviewed, and was told that there were a few more candidates being considered, and that I would get a call back soon. After waiting as patiently as possible for a few weeks, I was called back, and was offered the job at a starting wage of $15.50. I proudly accepted and started officially on March 1st. I love my new job and thankful that Catholic Charities helped me gain this opportunity.

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