Public Housing Resident Graduates Job Corps Program with Promising Career

Amanda Short at the Job Corps Graduation

Amanda Short was a single parent with no high school diploma and no direction. Living in public housing in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, she found out about the Perkins Job Corps Program through Head Start, when her 4-year-old daughter attended the program. Amanda knew she would not be able to raise her children and give them a better life, if she did not make a change. This is when she contacted staff at the Perkins Job Corps.

Amanda completed the enrollment requirements and began her journey to get her high school diploma and Certified Nursing Aid classes through the Non-residential Training program through a partnership with Big Sandy Community & Technical College (BSC&TC). Amanda was in high school classes half the day and her CNA classes the other half. With the support of Center staff, Amanda received her high school diploma on June 28, 2018,and completed her CNAcourses at BSC&TC. She will be taking her state test in the upcoming months. Amanda has another reason to celebrate, she has just landed a job as a CNA, at Mountain Manor Nursing Home in Paintsville, KY and is enrolled in the Phlebotomy program for the Fall semester at BSC&TC.

"If it wasn't for the Job Corps program and the support and encouragement of the staff at Perkins, I would not have had the courage to do this,” said Amanda. “I can now make a better life for my three children. Job Corps gave me a new start and I want to thank them for everything."

Amanda completed the Non-residential Job Corps Program, which allowed her and her children to reside in her public housing unit while she completed educational and training programs.

“We could not be happier for Amanda and more proud of our partnership with Job Corps,” said Kentucky HUD Field Office Director Michael Browder. “Public housing residents have a wonderful opportunity to utilize Job Corps for critical job training and education just as Amanda has done to gain new hope for a brighter future.”

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