“I was a high school dropout,” Shayla Shoemaker said. “As soon as the dropout paperwork was signed, my resource officer told me I needed to sign up for Job Corps. He said that I was too bright to just give up.”
Shayla was ready to succeed. Her Job Corps journey began in 2019 when she enrolled at Excelsior Springs Job Corps Center in Missouri. She was in pursuit of earning her high school diploma and gaining skills for a successful future.
“Shayla was an exceptional student-employee,” Home Builders Institute instructor Ian Wright said. “And I have no doubt she will make a positive impact in her new career.”
Shayla was part of the Home Builders Institute program on campus and quickly became a leader.
“Shayla was a leader in the HBI program,” Supervisor of Career and Technical Training Susan Stanley said. “Shayla was an active participant in the Women in Construction group I lead.”
After achieving her high school diploma, Shayla focused on her training program. Even during the pandemic, Shayla was determined and committed to completing her training. She worked in Lincoln, Neb., and participated in distance learning.
Wright has several memories of Shayla’s time on center.
“Most of my favorite memories I have of Shayla demonstrating skills and traits needed to be successful involve Shayla’s assertiveness and her ‘take no flak’ attitude,” Wright said. “She is not afraid to speak up and be a leader among her peers when it comes to accomplishing a task or job correctly, especially when it comes to safety and overall professionalism. Even before notifying an instructor or authority figure when faced with workplace hazards, Shayla will stand up and put a stop to unsafe work practices before an injury occurs. It never went unnoticed or unappreciated by her instructors.”
Shayla always focused on doing what was right and safe. She demonstrated good leadership qualities. Shayla graduated from Excelsior Springs Job Corps and not only learned the skills she needed for her career, but also learned life lessons and beneficial things like healthy eating habits.
Shayla was offered a job at Morgan Miller Plumbing in Grandview, Mo. She began work Feb. 1, 2021, and is making new friends.
“Working with the people I work with, they are pretty awesome,” Shayla said. “People are super understandable. And then the awesome people I work with have been helping to make my apartment more of a home instead of just an empty shell. They are pretty cool.”
Shayla appreciates her time at Job Corps and knows there’s a lot to miss, including the planned days, spending time with instructors and the campus shop. Shayla is vivacious, motivated and a go-getter and is succeeding in her career.
Graduated from Job Corps in: 2021 Employer: Morgan Miller Plumbing; Grandview, Missouri Phone: 816-778-1017 Email: laurenmrandolph@gmail.com Submitted by: Becca Sweredoski Notes:
Source: Sean Roberts, Business Community Liaison, 816-629-3160, 816-508-9254, Roberts.Sean@jobcorps.org