I knew I wanted to do something more with my life. I just didn’t know where to start.”
Leslie Ortega graduated from high school and worked at 7-Eleven and Dave & Buster’s. She was good at her jobs and enjoyed them, for the most part, but knew there had to be more in store for her life and career. After she shared her frustration with family, Leslie’s aunt directed her to Job Corps. She explored her options and enrolled in Glenmont Job Corps Center in New York.
“I was so excited to be on my own and become independent.”
Leslie always knew that she wanted to help people, so she chose to enroll in the Certified Nurse
Assistant program.
Despite her work experience in customer service, Leslie had difficulty communicating and opening up to other people. She was concerned this would negatively impact her success in the medical field because she knew it would require constant interaction with others.
To strengthen her social skills and build her self-confidence, Leslie joined the Student
Government Association as secretary. She learned how to collaborate with peers, raise fellow students’ concerns to staff and use her voice to make a positive change on campus.
“I was very shy. My instructors and friends I made at Job Corps helped me come out of my shell and become a leader.”
In her CNA training, Leslie shadowed nursing staff at Shaker Place Rehabilitation & Nursing Center and learned how to properly feed and care for residents, ease their stress, and lead fun activities.
Within two years, Leslie graduated from the Certified Nurse Assistant program at Job Corps and earned industry-recognized credentials, including Bloodborne Pathogens, CPR and First Aid with the American Heart Association; personal protective equipment (PPE); Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); OSHA 10-Hour General Industry (Health Care); ServSafe Allergens, Food Handler, COVID-19 Precautions and De-escalation; and Stop the Bleed.
Instructors and staff continued supporting Leslie, even after she completed her training, from helping her get a car to finding an apartment, to applying and interviewing for jobs.
“I appreciate my instructors very much. They always showed me they cared. Someone still checks on me every month to make sure I am doing well.”
Now Leslie is following her dreams at Brookdale Multicare Nursing Center as a certified nursing assistant for rehab, long-term care and dementia patients. Beyond all the credentials and training she received, Leslie says the communication and leadership skills she gained at Job Corps have been the most valuable in her career.
Her advice for incoming students? “Go to Job Corps with a purpose, and keep it top of mind every single day. Even if you have a bad day, remember that you came here for a reason. No matter how hard it gets, you’re going to come out the other side and be proud of what you accomplished.”
Graduated from Job Corps in: December 20, 2021 Employer: Brookdale Multicare Nursing Center Hometown: Long Island, New York Phone: 410-964-2888 Email: lrobbins@adamsaai.com Submitted by: Lydia Henry Notes:
Source: Lindsey Robbins, Communications Manager, Adams & Associates; (410) 964-2888;