“Brianna”, 21, joined the WIA Out-of-School Youth (OSY) Program, operated by KRA for the Camden County Workforce Investment Board, determined to obtain a diploma. For her, high school completion was the first step on the pathway to self-sufficiency, and the motivator for providing her two young children a brighter future.
Nigel Charles, OSY Instructor, and Celeste Simmons, Career Agent, worked with Brianna on a Career Pathway Plan that included preparing for the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) exam, career-oriented job training, and “soft-skills” development for the workplace.
Nigel commented, “Brianna took every opportunity to improve her status, obtaining a Microsoft Digital Literacy Certificate and volunteering with a local organization that provides supportive housing for families dealing with HIV…all the time studying for the TASC!”
Celeste added, “When she took the TASC, we were all on pins-and-needles…until she received the news she had passed, scoring ‘mastery level’ in Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies!” A week later, Brianna was approved to enroll in a Certified Nursing Assistant program funded through a WIA/OSY Individual Training Account.
On her KRA/Camden experience, Brianna expressed gratitude for the career guidance and training opportunities she received, realizing it was all part of a relatively short-range plan for achieving lasting long-term benefits.
