Tivia Dallas dropped out of college because she could no longer afford it. But once she dropped out, she was faced with another challenge—not being able to secure a job without a degree.
Tivia later became her mother’s primary caregiver after she suffered four separate strokes, and while Tivia loved caring for her mother, she was still not receiving the steady income she needed to support them. She felt lost; but after scouring the internet for educational opportunities and career assistance, Tivia discovered Job Corps and its Office Administration training program. She also discovered the chance to become a leader.
“I had heard of a few people who went to Job Corps before, but I didn’t really know all that it had to offer. I filled out the application online, and a few weeks later they called me. From the very beginning, it was an easy process that paid off tenfold,” Tivia said.
While on the Edison Job Corps campus in New Jersey, Tivia used her leadership skills to become the vice president of the Student Government Association and served as a dorm leader. “I enjoyed being able to go above and beyond for my campus. They only picked one student to be allowed to work in an on-campus job, and because of my commitment to my extracurriculars, they chose me. I am so grateful for that opportunity to work on campus because I knew what I wanted to study and the skills I needed to gain to use in the real world. That on-campus job really helped me start my career,” she said.
She took part in the college pathway at Job Corps and graduated with her associate degree in business administration from Middlesex Community College. After graduating and earning her credentials in office administration, she secured a job as a customer experience agent with EasyPass in New Jersey. “Job Corps helped me find a job I loved, and I had never experienced that before.”
Tivia credits her Career Transition Services counselor Julia Gibson with a lot of her success in finding the right fit for her. “Julia was a great support to me, and I am grateful for her taking the time to help me. I am still in contact with her today, and I love when she invites me back to speak to students or recommend students for jobs with my employers,” Tivia said.
Tivia is now living and working in Massachusetts as a mental health assistant who provides direct care support to children between the ages of 11 and 16 at a mental health and behavior facility. “When you take advantage of all the opportunities the program has to offer, you are setting yourself apart from other job candidates.”
Even though she once thought leaving college meant giving up any chance she had at a career, Tivia came to find just as much success and self-fulfillment as she could ever have asked for. “Still to this day, I use everything I learned there,” she said. “Job Corps helped make me who I am today and showed me that there are more options out there than people realize.”
Graduated from Job Corps in: June 2017 Employer: Mental health and behavior facility in Massachusetts Hometown: New Jersey Phone: 201-492-4237 Email: tiviamariedallas@gmail.com Submitted by: Sellars Huy Notes:
Employment: Mental health assistant at a mental health and behavior facility, Massachusetts