Kasandra Miranda was no stranger to setting high expectations for herself when she first arrived at Cassadaga Job Corps Center in March 2020. Before she even set foot on campus, she had taken bold steps to improve her life by getting sober at 23. She wouldn’t get to begin her program in earnest until September 2020 due to the pandemic; but once she got started, she knew exactly what she wanted.
“I went in there and I said, ‘I want my driver’s license, I want to get into the union, I want this, I want that,’” Kasandra said. “Literally everything that I wanted, it all fell into place because I did what I had to do and applied myself. If you apply yourself in anything you do, especially in Job Corps, you get everything you expected and more.”
She learned about Job Corps from a cousin and a friend who had both already attended and spoke highly of their experiences. Though Kasandra had graduated from high school and had a good job as a security guard, she didn’t like feeling stagnant. She wanted to pursue a career that would let her work with her hands and learn something new every day. Carpentry was a natural fit.
After graduating from Job Corps in July 2021, Kasandra settled in Buffalo, N.Y., and works for Turner Construction. She’s also a member of the local chapter of the carpenters union Carpenters Local 276 West New York, which brings her a lot of pride.
“In the construction industry, being a female, it’s been looked down upon,” she said. “It isn’t so much now because we’re trying to get more women in that industry.”
During her time on campus, Kasandra made an immediate impression on staff and students as a
leader. Her time as an active member of the Job Corps community began with student government. She quickly proved herself and took on more and more responsibilities around campus. Kasandra served as a residential student advisor, vice president of the Student Government Association and a member of peer court. She was also honored as Student of the Month in February 2021. She says that she loves helping people, and her background often inspires others to achieve.
Kasandra balanced acting as a leader and role model on campus with excelling in her career training. She worked hard in her training area and received numerous credentials that would make her a better job candidate, including in scaffolding, green building and ladder safety.
Kasandra says the Job Corps experience and center staff helped her become comfortable networking and making the connections that have led to her achievements. One of her instructors was the person to introduce her to a union representative and help her apply for the apprenticeship training program.
So, what’s Kasandra’s secret to success? Keep your eyes on the prize, she says. According to her, there may be moments or people that will test you, but it’s important to remember why you came to Job Corps in the first place and not let anything get in your way—especially not fear of failure.
“I’m going to show [everyone] that, ‘I’ve got this.’ Even if I don’t have it, I’ll ask questions,” Kasandra said. “It’s OK to ask questions. That’s something that Job Corps taught me, that it’s OK to ask for help.”
Graduated from Job Corps in: July 2021 Employer: Turner Construction; Carpenters Local 276 WNY Hometown: Buffalo, New York Phone: 917-771-0758 Email: miranda52@gmail.com Submitted by: Hannah Purdy Notes:
Source: Susan Fields, Placement Coordinator, UBC National Job Corps Training Fund