Emilie Konan arrived on campus at Blue Ridge Job Corps with her sister in tow and zero English between the two of them. She was nervous—about the language barrier, the new environment and her new course of study. But she was excited too, and with her sister by her side at Job Corps, she set […]
Blue Ridge
Candice Baylor
After a semester at a university that wasn’t the right fit, Candice Baylor wasn’t sure what to do next. Her sister Angelica helped her find the answer: Job Corps. Angelica was away from home in Marion, Va., attending the Blue Ridge Job Corps Center. She spoke highly of the program and her experiences and encouraged […]
Adrianna Lejeune
Adrianna LeJeune grew up in a small town in Louisiana before moving to Fairfax, Va. Growing up, she was a bright student and always enjoyed learning. Due to difficult circumstances, Adrianna did not finish high school and experienced homelessness throughout her young life. Fortunately, she learned about Job Corps just in time. Her mother-in-law knew […]
Shante Jones
“Staying focused is key to reaching your goals,” said Shante Jones. “If you stay focused and remember why you started, Job Corps will help you create a better future.” Becoming a mother at 14 resulted in a lot of hardships for Shante. She dropped out of high school but hoped to eventually earn her diploma, […]
Tayler Goins
Tayler Goins grew up in Colonial Heights, Va., as the eldest of four siblings. After graduating from high school, she decided to work as a cashier at Food Lion and CVS instead of pursuing higher education. “I was being irresponsible, and the time came that I had to make a choice to better my life—that […]
Rebecca Badasu
Rebecca Badasu moved from Ghana to the United States with her family as a young adult. She got a job making $7.25 per hour, which was barely enough to pay her bills, and she needed to find a way to become financially independent. Taking her father’s advice, Rebecca left home to pursue her education at […]
Taiesha Michael
When Taiesha Michael dropped out of high school and wasn’t able to find a job, she realized she needed career training and decided to enroll at Job Corps. Taiesha arrived at the Blue Ridge Job Corps Center determined to succeed. She earned her high school diploma, completed both the Clinical Medical Assistant and Medical Office […]
Beatrice Aboagye
Beatrice Aboagye moved to the United States from Ghana, Africa, when she was 13. After earning her high school diploma, she initially decided not to pursue any additional education, because adjusting to school in the U.S. had been challenging for her. So, she went directly into the workforce, working for tips as a server at […]
Amanda Umbrello
Amanda Umbrello always knew she wanted to do something that would help others, but her resources were limited. “When I was a child, I was adopted into a very large family, so money was tight,” Amanda said. “I knew I would have to be independent and work hard to achieve my goals.” During her high […]
Jennifer Hallmark
Jennifer Hallmark moved in with her older sister when she was 14 because her mother was hospitalized. She was being homeschooled during this time, but soon stopped her studies to work. It wasn’t very long before Jennifer realized that most jobs required a high school diploma or GED, so she applied for the Job Corps […]