Centralina WDB NEXGEN Customer Goes from Homelessness to Employed
Apr 27, 2017
Keyairrah Price"enrolled in"Centralina WDB funded WIOA NexGen Services"November 8,2016 at the"Resource Development Center (RDC)"in Stanly County. Prior to enrolling,Keyairrah moved from Delaware with family not really knowing what North Carolina was going to bring her although she had a clear career path,but didn’t know how to jump start it here." Ultimately,she wanted to be a social worker and child advocate. As a result,Keyairrah enrolled in Nurse Aide I training in December 2016 and began classes January 9,2017." Unfortunately during this time,Keyairrah became homeless." RDC Director/CDS Jim Kohn,accompanied Keyairrah to collect her belongings and found her immediate,but temporary housing with the assistance of WIOA funding. When those funds were depleted,Keyairrah moved to the local homeless shelter and has been a resident there ever since. She never gave up and continued to pursue her career and continued services in-spite of her circumstances and living conditions."
Eventually she successfully completed Nurse Aide I training,passed her state exam on March 24,2017 and has been listed on North Carolina’s Nurse Aide I Registry since March 30,2017." Immediately Keyairrah applied to two senior care facilities in Albemarle NC,one full-time,one part-time and was offered both positions." To date,she now works second shift five days a week with one employer and weekends for the second employer. "There are many outstanding Young Adult nominees,however,Keyairrah stands out because she picked up a life in Delaware that she once knew,moved to another state,was homeless,and still came out on top.      
Keyairrah loves to help people. It"s not just an interest for her,it"s a calling. She came to the WIOA NexGen with strong basic skills confirmed through TABE testing. But at 23,she had also realized the her high school diploma and very limited work history were not going to get her where she wanted to go in a career path. Keyarriah committed to a course of study to start her training journey,Nurse Aide I,and successfully completed her classes and the state requirements for the NAI Registry. She is employed as a Nurse Aide I with both full-time and part-time jobs. Keyairrah has also participated in two paid work experiences through WIOA funding. She worked at Hope Medical Associates as an Office Assistant in December 2016 and worked at the NC Works Career Center-Stanly as an Office Assistant when her Nurse Aide class was over in March,2017. She began unsubsidized employment the week of April 3rd. Since enrollment,Keyairrah has been very conscientious in attending WIOA activities that did not conflict with her NAI classes. She has had several Leadership Development activities as well as LMI training and Pre-employment and Maturity counseling. Keyairrah has a great deal of natural charm and charisma. Her attitude is amazingly positive and everyone comments on her smile and good humor. The employment skills that she has begun to build with her WIOA funded classes is the foundation for her chosen career path. "
Keyairrah Price is not in school or training now. Keyairrah is employed full-time with Bethany Woods Nursing and Rehabilitation Services in Albemarle NC as a Nurse Aide I (CNA),effective 04/05/2017. Her wage is $10.25 per hour. Keyairrah also has a part-time job on weekends at Forest Oaks Healthcare Center,also in Albemarle NC. She is a Nurse Aide I (CNA) and her hourly wage is $9.75.
She has tried to get assistance with housing and now that she has two jobs she makes too much money for housing assistance. Keyairrah is a true testament of a young adult who"s reached success in a short period of time." Through all the struggles within the last few months,Keyairrah has continued to keep her smile."
For more information regarding Centralina NEXGEN services contact,Solomon McAuley,Centralina WDB"s NEXGEN Specialist at smcauley@centralina.org or visit www.centralinaworkforce.com.
