JULY 30, 2009 ISSUE
Stimulus Funds at Work in the High Country
Teen Mom Gains Work Skills and National Credential
A participant in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-funded N.C. Summer Jobs program, Lindsey Miller worked at the Watauga County JobLink Career Center under the supervision of Employment Security Commission staff. Miller is the first participant in the High Country to complete the youth employment program, and co-workers at the JobLink celebrated her accomplishments with a cake a gifts on her final day at work.
Watauga County resident Lindsey Miller is the first person in her family to hold a steady job. She is also the first individual to finish the N.C. Summer Jobs youth employment program in the High Country Workforce Development Board’s seven-county region.
N.C. Summer Jobs is an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act initiative, fully funded through the Recovery Act and administered through the High Country Workforce Development Board’s Get REAL Youth Services, the year-round youth service program funded through the federal Workforce Investment Act.
To complete N.C. Summer Jobs, participants must work up to 210 hours in eight weeks at an assigned worksite and attend job preparation classes. Miller worked at the Watauga County JobLink Career Center on Winkler’s Creek Road in Boone under the supervision of Employment Security Commission staff.
“I feel good about myself for completing the program,” Miller said. “I love working here.”
Sixteen-year-old Miller not only completed her N.C. Summer Jobs assignment, but she also earned a silver-level Career Readiness Certificate through the program and is working on her GED by taking classes at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. Miller dropped out of high school last year to take care of her newborn son.
She said the N.C. Summer Jobs experience inspired her to obtain her GED. This summer she worked at the Watauga County JobLink during the day, and at night she went to school.
“I’m determined to do it,” she said. “I don’t care how long it takes me. I’m going to get my GED at least. Hopefully, in the next year or two I’ll be a dental assistant.”
The N.C. Summer Jobs youth employment program gave Miller the opportunity to gain real-life work experience. She punched in every workday at 8:30 a.m. and worked until 5:00 p.m. as the receptionist for Watauga County JobLink Career Center.
“I’ve never had much typing experience or phone experience,” she said. “But now I’ve learned how to communicate with the public.”
Susan Siirila, Employment Security Commission employment consultant at the Watauga County JobLink Career Center, said co-workers recognized Miller’s determination and potential.
“When Lindsey first came to work, she was a shy, timid teenager scared to death. But by the time she left, she had blossomed into a confident worker,” Siirila said. “She came out of her shell and this job bolstered her self-esteem.”
Despite the challenges of family obligations and transportation difficulties, Miller missed only one day of work during her eight-week assignment at the JobLink Center. The one circumstance that kept her from work was a medical emergency.
“I didn’t want to miss work,” she said. “I really appreciated this opportunity.”
The goals behind N.C. Summer Jobs are to give young workers with employment challenges experience in a professional environment and to give them essential job readiness skills that will help them move into long-term jobs when the summer program ends. One component of the job-readiness training is work on the Career Readiness Certificate, a national credential that verifies a worker’s skills in three key areas: reading for information, applied math and locating information. Career Readiness Certificates are awarded at three levels: bronze, silver and gold. Miller’s silver certificate validates her abilities in essential skills that are important across a range of jobs.
Teri Carter, Get REAL youth coach in Watauga and Wilkes counties, said Miller achieved nine of N.C. Summer Jobs’ ten work-readiness objectives. Those objectives include writing a professional resume and cover letter, practicing interview skills and developing basic job-keeping skills such as attendance and performance.
“She has definitely improved,” Carter said. “When she started in the program, she had no job skills and now she has many. We’re excited that she is the first person to complete the program.”
Miller said her employment experience at the JobLink Center prepared her and gave her the confidence she needs to enter the workforce. She is applying for other receptionist jobs in Watauga County to provide a source of income while she continues her studies.
Her co-workers at the Watauga County JobLink Center are proud of Miller’s accomplishments. On her last day of work, they celebrated her success with a homemade cake and gave her a briefcase and office supplies to encourage her to continue her GED classes and go on to college.
For additional information about N.C. Summer Jobs or Get REAL Youth Services, call Teri Carter at 828-264-5385.
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