MAYHEW — A pair of Golden Triangle students recently took advantage of grants and local funding to complete two programs, each, through East Mississippi Community College’s Workforce Services Division, without paying a penny. The duo said it was tough, but it was worth it.
In the past few weeks, Nina Head, of West Point, and Joscia Shinn, of Columbus, completed the Certified Nursing Assistant program at the Golden Triangle campus and the Basic Manufacturing Skills course at the West Point Center, thanks to a healthcare grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and partnership with the Montgomery Institute in Meridian, as well as funding through the WIN Job Center of Columbus. The students are among a select few to complete two Workforce programs simultaneously.
“These students have added two potential career paths to their lives in just 10 weeks. And neither of these classes is simple. Both require a great deal of focus and study, in class and at home,” said Mitzi Thompson, Workforce specialist at EMCC. “We’re very proud of them both.”
Shinn, 22, will vouch for the classes’ difficulty. After being laid off from Tyson Foods last year, she wanted to enter the Workforce phlebotomy course. But a phlebotomy class wasn’t due to begin for a few months after she qualified for the healthcare grant, so she entered the CNA program. When she added the manufacturing class, she initially felt as though she’d made a mistake.
“When I first started the manufacturing class, I was really discouraged. I didn’t think I was going to finish. But I kept working and I finished and I’m really proud of myself,” she said.
Head, who has been unemployed for six months, spent 15 years working at Sara Lee Foods in West Point, until the plant closed in 2007. She landed on her feet, finding a job as a quality control inspector at Navistar in West Point, which assembles military Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, but was laid off late in 2011. The mother of eight still supports five children at home and was nearing the end of her eligibility to receive unemployment benefits.
Now she’s confident she’ll have a job in healthcare by July.
“My only problem isn’t even a problem. I have to pass certification on June 16 and I just have to wait on that. I know I’ll pass because I’ve been drilled by my instructors, Mrs. Connese Frierson and Mrs. Sabrina Williams. They are some hard women but they are good women and they demand the best,” said Head.
Despite having some experience in manufacturing due to her time at Navistar, Head said taking both classes simultaneously took a toll on her. She attended manufacturing classes at the West Point Center Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. On Mondays and Wednesdays, she would drive straight to the Golden Triangle campus in Mayhew until 6 p.m. for CNA classes. But her built-in support network never allowed doubt to enter her mind.
“On Mondays and Wednesdays, when I would get home, I would not be in a good mood. I’d be tired and had things to deal with as far as school goes,” Head said.
“But every day I had a note or a handmade card on my desk at home or in my bathroom, something somewhere in the house, even in the refrigerator, telling me ‘I know you’re going to do it.’ I would get breakfast on the weekends. And some days I would open my backpack and find two or three notes saying ‘Have a great day. We know you’re going to do it.’ My children have been a big inspiration to me,” she said.
Both Shinn and Head plan to look for work in the healthcare field, after passing their final certification exams. Head also plans to return to EMCC to pursue a nursing degree. But both women also plan to look out for manufacturing work, which is often accompanied by good pay and benefits.
They recommend both programs with equal enthusiasm.
“These programs are a great opportunity for people who need more skills in areas where you can actually find a job,” said Head.
To find out more about the Certified Nursing Assistant program, the Basic Manufacturing Skills program and other Workforce Services classes, or to find out if you qualify for a healthcare grant from the Department of Labor, contact Thompson at (662)243-2647 or [email protected].
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.