Meet Jacquelines: EnGen Learner, Building a Banking Career
"Six months ago, when I started with EnGen, my expectations were not very high because I had been trying to learn English for a long time, and I hadn’t seen any improvement. But after six months with this amazing program, I now speak with more confidence. At work, I can communicate much clearer and with fluidity.”
Jacquelines moved to New York City in 2018, starting life in a new country to be with her U.S.-born husband. She had studied English in her home country, but quickly realized that improving her English skills would be pivotal to connecting with both a career and community in her new home.
“It was so, so hard at the beginning,” Jacquelines recalls. “When I tried to speak [in English], I couldn’t. Sometimes I cried because I felt frustration.”
She took a series of customer service jobs—at a bakery, at a supermarket, and later at a pharmacy—where she honed some basic English skills. But it wasn’t until she started her current job at a bank that she was able to begin “formally” studying English.
Jacquelines connected with EnGen via a partnership between her employer and Guild, a comprehensive education and skilling solution for building talent.
Over the past six months, Jacquelines has taken full advantage of EnGen’s on-demand, mobile-first platform, which delivers career-aligned English instruction via her smartphone.
“Every time I have free time I try to use EnGen,” she says. “I study after work, on the weekend, on my days off.”
Jacquelines has focused on courses aligned to her work in banking and finance. On-demand courses like “English for Financial Services” and “English for Investment Banking” have helped her develop English skills while also honing career skills, focusing on topics like investment management, financial planning, securities analysis, mergers and acquisitions, and more.
She has also benefitted from EnGen’s live classes, coaching, and writing workshops – elements of EnGen’s platform that are led by certified instrutors and coaches, complementing the tech-powered instruction.
“My EnGen instructor, Jason, is one the best English teachers I have ever had. He has always motivated each and every one of his students to do their best,” says Jacquelines.
Jacquelines has also participated in EnGen’s writing workshop, a live online class with a writing teacher, that helps learners develop and polish career-aligned writing skills. Instructors work with learners to produce and revise real-world writing, like emails.
“The class has helped me write better emails to colleagues and customers. I feel more confident,” she says.
Increased confidence is a key indicator of success in the workplace – in fact, a full 93% of EnGen learners reported improved confidence at work and beyond in a recent survey.
Jacquelines’ increased confidence has made her feel ready to pursue a new goal. Her employer has already promoted her from an entry-level associate role to a more technical role that helps manage customer accounts. She says she’s ready to move to the next level.
“I want to try for another promotion, a big one. To do this, I need to continue to improve my English and keep learning about investments and finance.”
Jacquelines is confident that EnGen will help her reach her goals at work. And outside of work, she’s feeling more confident too.
“When I go to the doctor, I can speak [English] with more fluency. Before I needed to use a translator. I don’t need it anymore,” she says. “My husband is so proud of me. He tells me all the time, ‘you’re improving, your English is so good!”
When Jacquelines reflects back on her rapid progress with EnGen, she has advice for other learners. “Be consistent, never give up, and know that making mistakes is totally normal.”
EnGen partners with educational institutions, employers, and other workforce partners to serve tens of thousands of adult English learners like Jacquelines. Learn how it can work for your organization: https://getengen.com/demo