Bell-Whitley Career Center Provides Timely Assist for Bell Countian Hope Hatfield to Get Back to School

With a lot of work behind her and more still left to do, Hope Hatfield is turning things around. 

A native of Bell County, Hatfield battled addiction for nearly 13 years. She had worked to get sober before, but a relapse sent her back into the same spiral. By early 2022, she’d had enough. 

Hope Hatfield

“I was in active addiction for a very long time,” Hatfield says. “So, I decided to get clean.” 

The process for Hatfield really came into focus when she was placed into the local drug court program, which provides an alternative to incarceration for individuals charged with drug-related offenses. While serving in the program, Hatfield decided to go back to school. Because she was ineligible for financial aid, however, she needed some other avenue to help cover the cost.

That’s where her local Bell-Whitley Kentucky Career Center JobSight in Pineville could help. 

A partner in the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network of workforce centers, Bell-Whitley provides Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services in Bell County under contract with Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP). Those services include programs for adults, dislocated workers, and youth who may need assistance honing skills such as résumé building or networking with local employers, or who need assistance being retrained or going to school. 

Hatfield says she first heard about the services at Bell-Whitley from a friend. When she decided to go back to school and enroll in a phlebotomy training program, she contacted Bell-Whitley's workforce staff to sign up there, as well.  

“They helped me get the things paid for that needed to be paid for the phlebotomy program,” Hatfield recalls. “They paid for my clothing, my schooling, my book.” 

Hatfield began her enrollment at Bell-Whitley by working with Career Advisor Rudelle Green, who secured assistance that would enable Hatfield to afford the training. She says support from Bell-Whitley was a key factor in helping ensure she could complete the program successfully. 

“At that time, it was very important because I hadn't worked in over a year because of the addiction,” she says. “Financially, I wasn't able to pay for those things for school, for scrubs, for all of that. So, Bell-Whitley basically did everything for me.” 

Hatfield later worked with Bell-Whitley Career Advisor Tina Campbell, who Hatfield says provided an easy working relationship and always made herself available. 

“I’ve actually been in contact with Tina on and off throughout the entire time I’ve been in school,” Hatfield says. “She’ll call and check on me and ask how things are going. Just kind of like a supportive thing.” 

Since earning her phlebotomy certification with Bell-Whitley’s support, Hatfield has continued to keep herself busy. She maintains a job as a server at a local restaurant and recently earned peer support certification. She also enrolled in the medical assistant program at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College’s Barbourville campus. She expects to complete that program in May 2023.  

And just as importantly, she is taking the next steps to ensure she can move forward not only with her personal progression, but with a career that can support it. 

“It was one of those things where this is something I think that I would like,” she says about her decision to enroll in the medical assistant program. “It’s something that is kind of quick for a career; it’s a six-month program. I might as well keep moving forward.” 

Hatfield says she is thankful for the services available at Bell-Whitley as they enabled her to restart her education at a time when it may not have been possible without them. 

“They helped with the beginning of everything,” she says. “Had they not done that, I would have had to wait until probably this year to even begin the phlebotomy program.” 

She adds that anyone who may find themselves in a similar situation of needing to begin training or get prepared for a new job to contact the staff at Bell-Whitley and see if their services might be right for them.

If you’re interested in applying for career and employment services at the Bell-Whitley Kentucky Career Center JobSight, or just want to learn more, call 606-337-3044 or visit jobsight.org.   

EKCEP, a nonprofit workforce development agency headquartered in Hazard, Ky., serves the citizens of 23 Appalachian coalfield counties. The agency provides an array of workforce development services and operates the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network of workforce centers, which provide access to more than a dozen state and federal programs that offer employment and training assistance for job seekers and employers all under one roof. Learn more about us at http://www.ekcep.org or http://www.facebook.com/ekcep.