Another Customer-Intern Success Leads to KRA Career Path
Shawnda Walker, Christine Washington, and Nikia Washington (no relation) have much in common: they are extremely Knowledgeable, Responsible, and Achievement-oriented young women, and they were outstanding customers, whose KRA qualities led to their employment with the company.
Also, they share an integral connection to the KRA Job Readiness Program (JRP), a requirement of which is a Work Experience (WEX) Internship, usually developed through partnerships with local private- and public-sector organizations. However, these particular JRP participants were selected to serve their Internships with KRA.
Shawnda is currently the WEX Program Supervisor, as well as Lead Job Developer, and Christine is now a Career Agent. What about Nikia?
In June 2018, to support her family after the law firm she worked for closed, Nikia applied for TANF/TCA benefits through KRA’s client-partner, the Baltimore City Department of Social Services. She recalls, “When I first walked through these doors, I was grateful for the respect and hands-on care I received from the KRA/Baltimore City staff.”
Nikia was assigned to intern with Gregory Alexander, KRA Program Manager—the Business Services Operations Manager at the time. Working with her every day, and recognizing her abilities and initiative, in time, promoted her to Career Agent, a position in which she worked diligently, taking on more responsibility and becoming proficient in customer-retention services.
In February 2020, her demonstrated capabilities led to another promotion. As a Retention Specialist, Nikia supports customers, who are working or enrolled in school or training programs, with case management, career guidance, and remediation of barriers to current or future workplace success.
“My goal is to build solid, trusting relationships with our customers, through which I can better assist them in fulfilling their educational and vocational goals and objectives. I’m always honest about the fact that, like them, I was once a TCA recipient and KRA customer. I have found this openness, on my part, is a motivating factor in their drive to succeed. I’m really proud to work for KRA, a company that has stood the test of time for 40 years, through which I am making a real difference in my community.”
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Dr. Boone’s 20+ years’ experience in the industry is extensive and her expertise in private-, public-, and non-profit sector workforce-services organizations is unparalleled, particularly in the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan area.
