Jobie Pettigrew arrived in the U.S. 11 years ago, from the island of the Philippines. In the U.S., everything was new and different for Jobie – culture, language, values, people, environment, and lifestyle.
When she moved to the U.S., Jobie didn’t know how to drive a car, so her fellow team members in Ellijay drove her to work. “It’s a gesture I’ll never forget,” she said.
She soon met her husband, a longtime Pilgrim’s Ellijay team member, at church.
“Working at the facility was hard at the beginning because of the language barrier, but I got to adapt myself. Now is great, fantastic,” she said.
Pettigrew joined the Supervisor Development Program seeking the opportunity to become a manager. Through the program, she had the opportunity to explore the business’ processes and grow in her career, from a line worker to a management team member.
“I believe my faith, coupled with hard work and a good support system, brought me this far.”
The journey taught her to communicate better, respect differences, appreciate individuality, and be hopeful even in difficult situations.
“I’m grateful for my work family from Pilgrim’s.”