People of Intel - Geovana Lore

​Intel Ireland's campus in Leixlip has a population of thousands - equivalent to a typical Irish town - and filled with a vibrant, diverse and dynamic collection of people. Through the People of Intel series, we share their stories.

Geovana Lore,
Process technician

As a child I wanted to be a biology teacher but circumstances prevented it and I ended up as a single mother at the age of 18. For many people that would seem like a curtailment of my ambitions, but wanting the best for my daughter Mariah has motivated me to really prove so many people wrong and make a really good life for us both.

I made the difficult decision to leave Brazil in 2016 and arrived in Ireland with no English at the age of 25. I had to leave Mariah at home with my mother at first which was really hard, but I fell in love with Ireland and the possibility and openness of its people and the country.

I’d been in Ireland a year trying to learn English and doing any job I could find; working with families and minding kids, and working in coffee shops. Because of family background I was able to finally secure an Italian passport, and once I could apply for better jobs, I brought my daughter over after a year. It was hard at first for her naturally, but I connected with other mothers and got her involved in sport and now she thrives and is about to start secondary school. We even got a dog, so we feel very at home.

I always wanted to work with technology but didn’t have enough background to apply in that field, so I arrived in Intel as a cleaner, working for a vendor company. I just loved the environment and every chance I got, I networked and spoke to people who worked here to ask about their work and which type of experience or background I needed to have a chance for an interview. Eventually I decided to do a technical course to widen my chances because I knew working for Intel was my end goal. I got some experience through different companies inside Intel, and eventually after two years I finally got an interview when they opened up new positions in 2021. Ironically, I was back home in Brazil on holiday at the time and had to do the interview at 4am. But thankfully I got the job and it’s been a dream come true.

The amazing thing about Intel is the potential to develop my career. Management don’t look at me as a number, but check in with me as a person, and have been flexible around my parenting so that I can try and balance the two as well as I can. Intel is like a big hug and I feel safe here to really explore how my career may develop. After a year, I was able to change position and move into process which I really enjoy. I want to keep growing and learning and perhaps even have the chance to become a manager or even an engineer at some stage.

Back when I was 18, many people thought I’d never make it. But I thank them for that criticism as it made me stronger. My family are proud of what I’ve achieved and understand that I’ve provided a much better quality of life in Ireland for me and Mariah. Doors can open here, and I just need to have faith and keep pushing out my comfort zone. Mariah is studying coding and tells me she wants to work here in Intel one day so who knows! I know I’ve worked really hard for me and for her because there are no limits to our dreams here.

Ireland is my home and now that I feel I have stability in my career, with room to grow, and Mariah is happy and stable here, it is now time for me to start connecting with myself again. Since I was 18, I’ve focused on building career and making a safe world for my daughter and at times it has felt lonely on this journey. Now it’s time to flesh out my community more and decide who I want to be as a person not just a worker and mother.  I love cycling and am exploring meditation. I started adult life very quickly and now that I can breathe finally, I’m starting to think about me the person not just the roles I play and it is an exciting time ahead. 

Read more from of our People of Intel series.