Fariha Waseem – North Brigham, NJ

Building Leaders: Walmart Academy as a Foundation for a Career

At Walmart Store 3795 in North Bergen, New Jersey, leaders are being made.

One person responsible for that output is Walmart Academy Facilitator Fariha Waseem. The 11-year Walmart associate is proud of her job, not just because she enjoys doing it, but because she witnesses its value every day.

“At the end of the day, I am transforming the future of associates I’m able to teach,” Fariha said. “We transform futures, and we turn associates into leaders who are prepared to lead high-performance stores with great cultures.”

But Fariha says that her Academy experience has done more than just allow her to teach associates. It’s also pointing to one of those old maxims, that through teaching we can learn a lot about ourselves. “I think that what Academy provided me as a leader is a connection to learning,” Fariha said. “And that’s a cornerstone to us, the idea that learning changes people. And so, Academy has provided me a platform to test my limits and to set up another stepping stone towards tomorrow.”

Academy learning continues to evolve with the addition of digital lessons designed to meet particularly modern challenges. But whether she’s teaching an in-person class or doing it digitally over Zoom, Fariha says she’s noticed something inspiring in all of the associates she has the chance to interact with.

“I’ve learned one thing for sure: We’re all hungry to learn and grow,” Fariha said. “And the associates I come across in this career are all striving for something. They want to show their true potential. There’s nothing else quite like the Academy providing our associates with this type of training, because we provide programs that her our associates land the career they’re striving for.”

As an Academy Facilitator, Fariha is helping her fellow associates on a track to greater skills and additional opportunities. Her belief that learning can change outlooks and proctor new career opportunities is regularly proven in Walmart Academies, where associates learn to lead.

“I think my spark in myself is defined by my associates,” Fariha said. “That has led me to confidence in my role and confidence in my associates. I can’t wait to keep learning with my team, and with Walmart, to help build that foundation we can keep carrying forward.”