As a Senior in Office Occupations at Manual High School, Jayvon proves virtual programs work! Peoria Public Schools District 150 first met Jayvon at Manual High in August 2022 while he worked several jobs searching for the right fit. He joined the Office Occupations virtual course to earn a Digital Literacy Certification and Microsoft Office Specialist credential. His eagerness for a work-based learning experience in the business setting was quickly shown. In November, he was placed at the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce and jumped in with administrative tasks.

In their words: "The Peoria Chamber of Commerce gladly welcomes Jayvon to our team. He has become a huge asset to our team in such a short amount of time. His hard work and contagious laughter bring so much to our office. Thank you, Jayvon, for being dedicated to the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce Mission."

Way to go, Jayvon!

Since June 2022, Cameron has worked as an intern at Peoria County. Cameron is an IT Coding Senior at the Woodruff Career and Technical Center through Peoria Public Schools District 150. He enjoys his role in IT support, shadowing the Chief Information Officer, and learning from a Richwoods High peer who was hired by Peoria County as a result of his internship in 2021. Cameron has shown dependability and eagerness to learn and is respectful on the job. He continues to earn IT and Cybersecurity certifications through his virtual senior-level course at Woodruff.

Keep up the great work, Cameron!

Tania is a senior in the Information Technology Coding pathway at Woodruff Career and Technical Center. As an exemplary student early in the semester, Tania was recommended for an internship and was placed with the Minority Business Development Center (MBDC) in September 2022. Tania has proven herself an outstanding intern in just two short months. She assisted the team with software program training for certification, implemented classroom processes, and developed a data tracking system for MBDC.

In the words of her supervisor and IT Program Manager, Ms. Felisa Durr:

"From day one, Tania has shown a high level of responsibility for her work. She easily grasped the expectations of the job and asked relevant questions as needed to ensure she provided the appropriate deliverables. Tania has proven to be extremely capable of fulfilling her job duties. She is very self-directed and can accomplish her tasks without assistance. She has balanced work and school responsibilities and led several organizations in her school. She has worked on tasks with all our center employees, including supporting our CEO's activities. Tania's pleasant demeanor, attention to detail, and work ethic are exemplary and will serve her well. We are pleased and honored to have Tania on the MBDC team."

This is an example of what High School students at Peoria Public Schools District 150 can do! Thank you to the Minority Business Development Center for being a great employer partner.

Excellent job, Tania!

At the age of 26, Jordan Lay is a single mom who felt she needed to be more present in her 3-year-old son's life. Residing in Ozark, Illinois, she worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant for five years but burnt out from working 3-4 days of 12-hour shifts at Union County Hospital. Jordan wanted to broaden her education and do more in the medical field. Due to personal reasons and the pandemic, she felt that an LPN/RN was not a good fit for her. Jordan was approved for the WIOA Program to pursue a certificate in the Certified Medical Assistant Program (CMA) in Fall 2021 at Shawnee Community College. In hopes of being a CMA, she now has her dream job and can focus on supporting her family.

While the journey was never easy, to begin with, Jordan achieved her goals. A month before graduating from the CMA program, she secured a job at Shawnee Health Services. Jordan says that “working for Shawnee Health Services has given me a lot of hands-on experience with not just family medicine, but also suboxone therapy, pediatrics, and even gynecology work. I work alongside many other CMAs, LPNs, and even RNs. I’m giving shots, sending in medications, assisting with house procedures, and so much more. I now work Monday-Friday, 8 am-5 pm, and I’m blessed to be able to take and pick up my son from school every day instead of relying on others to do it for me. Being able to come home and have dinner with him every night and getting to plan fun and exciting weekends together is something I have always dreamed of. Becoming a CMA has been one of my best decisions for my son and myself.”

Jordan says that “the SDC WIOA Program gave me peace of mind financially while in the CMA program. As a single mom attending school and working full-time, that was a huge relief. I didn’t have to worry about if I needed to make a tuition payment or buy groceries or if buying my books meant I would have to borrow money from my parents. Aside from the financial part of the WIOA program giving me confidence. Sandy, was there any time I had a question or concern throughout the year. The WIOA program was one of the many learning posts during my time in the Certified Medical Assistant program. It’s a hidden gem that needs more awareness.” Jordan also wants to extend her appreciation to the SDC WIOA Program by saying, “thank you.”

A year after graduating from Collina Academy High School, Aziz Crim joined UCAN's Youth Career Pathways Program in the spring of 2022. Aziz's drive led him to follow through with entering the program to obtain full-time employment within the hospitality sector. During the program, participants learned a well-rounded curriculum from sanitation, cooking, and ingredients, to the ins and outs of customer service, dinner service, restaurant management, and job readiness skills.

Aziz attended training and passed his tests, receiving his Basset Alcohol Certification, ManageFirst Customer Service Certification, ServSafe, and Food Service Management Certifications.

During the program, Aziz was placed in UCAN's residential kitchen to gain more experience and hone the skills he had been learning. Aziz's focus and hard work got him referred by his supervisor to a permanent position. It was truly hard-earned. He is an outstanding young man who kept his eyes on his goals. UCAN is proud to have Aziz on its side, and we are beyond happy to welcome him as an official part of our team.