In February 2018, Jakayla McGill, 19, enrolled in Youthworks!, operated by KRA for the Anne Arundel Workforce Development Board, 2 months pregnant. A challenge to receiving career-development training and employment? Yes! An obstacle? Not by a long shot!!
Right off the bat, Youthworks! enrolled Jakayla in a 12-week office internship with PrimeAmerica, an assignment through which she gained much-needed real-world work experience, but not related to her ultimate objective of Healthcare training, particularly the geriatric sector of the industry.
Youthworks! arranged for Jakayla to enroll in coursework at Anne Arundel County Community College, providing her the opportunity for both Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Geriatric Nursing Assistant (GNA) credentialing, subject to completing the course and passing exams for Board Certification and Licensing.
Course requirements completed, Jakayla prepared for the CNA exam first, which she passed in late August, but postponed preparing for the GNA exam because in early September, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl!
Anxious to gain hands-on industry experience, she accepted a part-time “Earn & Learn” Home Healthcare Aide position, which ended in December 2018. It was then that Jakayla realized she was missing valuable bonding time with her 3-month old, and with strong family support, decided to become a “stay-at-home” mom.
In July 2019, Jakayla accepted a Call Center Operator position with Mercy Personal Physicians at Glen Burnie. Again, this was an opportunity to gain more industry-related knowledge and experience, as well as the chance to complete her “in clinic” training requirement.
James LeBlanc, KRA Program Manager, concluded, “Currently, juggling the responsibilities of motherhood and work, Jakayla is continuing to prepare for GNA certification, and we all are confident that she will achieve her professional Healthcare career goal—reflective of yet another Youthworks! success story!”
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