For Information Systems (IS) Engineer Bilal Ahras, finding a career at Publix felt like being part of a family business all over again.
2013 was a big year for Bilal. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in systems and network security, obtained a visa, moved to the U.S. and started working at Publix.
Bilal grew up in Algeria, a country in Northern Africa, and speaks 4 languages: Tamazight (his native language), Arabic, French and English.
“I wanted to move to the U.S. since I was 14,” said Bilal. “When I got here, I was living with my uncle and looking for a job I could walk or bike to. He recommended Publix because he knew it was a great place to work and my grandfather was always a fan.”
After a few months, 1 of his friends was hired at #626, Roswell, Georgia, and told Bilal to talk to the assistant customer service manager. Bilal spoke to the manager on a Saturday and was hired as a cashier the next day. Over the next 4 years, he worked his way up to assistant grocery manager.
“Back in Algeria, I was working at a family business,” said Bilal. “When I came here, I found Publix was like a family business as well. This really made my transition very smooth, which facilitated my learnings and enabled my growth. It’s also what pushed me to stay with Publix.”
While he focused on learning and improving as a retail associate, he frequently spoke with leadership about his career goals and asked information technology (IT) associates about their jobs.
“My district manager told me if I wanted to grow with Publix to take my time,” said Bilal. “He said I was with the right company.”
So Bilal applied for every Publix IT or IS position that opened in the Atlanta area.
“I wanted to have a career in IT since 1998 when I got my first laptop,” said Bilal. “It’s just so interesting, and a lot of IT careers are out there. So I didn’t give up. I kept applying.”
His persistence — and interactions with Publix IT associates — paid off. In 2018, he was hired as an information system technology service (ISTS) implementation technician. But he didn’t stop there. Bilal set a goal to be an engineer in 5 years, and once again, he regularly shared this goal with IT management. Over the next 3 years and 2 roles, he took every opportunity to go where he could learn something new. Then, in 2021 an engineer position opened at the Atlanta Data Center.
“I’m not afraid to jump into something I’m not clear about and learn for myself,” said Bilal. “Coming from retail to ISTS to engineering is like 3 different worlds — 4 if you count coming from [another country].”
Bilal says other than the family environment, 2 of his favorite things about Publix are our promote-from-within culture and support from management. Earlier this year, he needed a leave of absence to help take care of his father in Algeria. He appreciates how understanding his manager was and knowing he would still have his job when he returned.
When his role takes him to our stores, Bilal enjoys sharing his experiences with retail associates who are looking for a career in IT.
“I tell them, ‘When you’re in the store, focus on what you’re doing. Grow in that position, but also focus, get your degree and work toward your goal,’” Bilal said.
Growth and learning are important to Bilal.
“I don’t know what the future may hold, but I always have future goals based on technology and business trends,” said Bilal. “I want to be in positions where I need to learn. I know my skills, and I am aware of my limitations. So, I try to find the right people to ask to gain the skills and knowledge I need.”
Publix is a family — a big, 225,000-person one — with backgrounds from across the country and around the world. This article is part of a series featuring associates who come from a variety of backgrounds, age groups and cultures, and we love sharing their successes. We hope our articles help you learn a little more about your fellow associates who make up our Publix family.
