Growing up in West Virginia, James Jackson never really put much thought into what he would be doing in the future. He never felt that he had many options for career paths, which resulted in his working multiple low-paying jobs with no real possibility for growth for most of his younger years. Then, at his younger brother’s wedding, he struck up a conversation with his new family about Job Corps, and his life changed forever.
“When I came to Job Corps, I didn’t have a high school diploma. I didn’t even have my driver’s license.”
After doing some research on his own and talking it through with his brother, James decided to meet with a Job Corps recruiter and ended up enrolling at the Charleston Job Corps Center.
While he was working toward earning his high school diploma on campus, James completed the Pharmacy Technician, Certified Nursing Assistant, and Dental Assistant training programs. James believes that he always had the desire to get better and make something of himself, but he credits Job Corps with really focusing that side of him to achieve greatness.
“I definitely had some preconceived notions (about Job Corps) … I had read so many reviews, watched YouTube videos, read articles … I could definitely tell within the first hour of my research that (Job Corps) is what you make of it. You can take the ball and run with it, or like everything in life, you can squander your opportunity.”
While he dove head first into his training, James also took advantage of the many programs and positions offered at Charleston Job Corps. During his time on campus, he was able to earn his high school diploma from the Penn Foster Program, and ended up earning his high school equivalency credential as well while working as a certified nursing assistant. He took immense pride in being an active citizen on campus, serving as the treasurer and, eventually, the president of the center’s Student Government Association.
James earned the following accreditations while on campus: Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) – West Virginia Department of Education; national and state Certified Pharmacy Technician; West Virginia Certified Nursing Assistant; the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) Infection Control certification; and the DANB Radiation Health and Safety certification.
“There was a lot of training for career preparation that helped me immensely alongside just the skills training. It was a lot of work; but I knew that if I really focused, I could achieve what I wanted in life.”
James currently works as a licensed practical nurse in the Medical/Surgical Neurology Unit at the Charleston Area Medical Center. He works very closely with stroke patients and patients who experience seizures toward their eventual recovery and treatment. It is difficult work, but James credits his Job Corps experience for instilling in him a professionalism and desire to learn that benefit him every day.
“We practiced everything, down to how to conduct yourself in an interview and how to properly shake a hand.”
James started working toward earning his associate degree in applied sciences and nursing at the University of Rio Grande in Ohio in August 2020. The program will allow him to change his title officially to registered nurse, which will grant him the ability to begin “travel nursing,” a type of nursing that will allow him to see the country and be of benefit to communities that need him the most.
“The biggest piece of advice I would give is to be open to the possibilities of how much further you can advance yourself and your education, and to know that you will get out of this program what you put into it. If you put in the work, you will succeed.”
Graduated from Job Corps in: December 2018 Employer: Charleston Area Medication Center Hometown: West Virginia Phone: 304-807-0626 Email: davidmailed@gmail.com Submitted by: Charleston Job Corps Newsletter