Career Services at Northeast JobSight Help Carter Countian Mika Transition to New Career Path
Mika McGlone was working the night shift and providing support for participants in a mental health program when she first heard about career services available at the Northeast Kentucky Career Center JobSight, and how the staff there might be able to help her land a new job.
McGlone said Carl and Lisa Burton, the owners of Broomsage and Fescue Farms in Carter County, encouraged her to learn more about the services at the career center, and once she did it seemed like a good opportunity to start a new career path, though she didn’t yet have a specific idea what that path might entail.
“It was a great opportunity, something that not everyone gets the option to have, especially in a small town,” McGlone said.
A partner in the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network of workforce centers, Northeast provides Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services in Carter, Elliott, and Lawrence counties under contract with Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP). Those services include programs for adults, dislocated workers, and youth between the ages of 18 and 24 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.
Once McGlone contacted Northeast in March 2023 she began working with Career Advisor Amanda Hanshaw, who helped her determine what services would be available. McGlone says didn’t have a new job in mind at first, but after learning that Northeast could cover the cost for training available through Ashland Community and Technical College to become a State Registered Nursing Assistant (SRNA), she quickly made a new employment goal and began the process to enroll in training.
But first, Hanshaw would also help McGlone enter into a work experience with Broomsage and Fescue Farms, where she gained some valuable on-the-job experience working at the business while Northeast covered her wages for a time. Later, Northeast would also cover tuition for McGlone’s SRNA training, and also provided materials she would need to complete the coursework, including scrubs, shoes, and a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff.
McGlone acknowledges Hanshaw’s support during her work experience and SRNA training, noting that Northeast provided the necessary resources and guidance to pursue her newfound career path, something she may not have been able to do on her own.
“I can’t personally thank Amanda for everything she has done for me to make this possible,” McGlone added. “Any questions or concerns I had she was right there to lend a helping hand. I’m forever grateful for her and Northeast!”
By November 2023, McGlone had successfully obtained her SRNA Certification and is now currently employed with Core Health Center in Grayson, KY, showcasing the outcome of her dedication and Northeast’s commitment to fostering growth within the community.
“I would recommend Northeast over and over again,” she says. “I had the best experience!”
If you live in Eastern Kentucky and are interested in applying for career and employment services, visitjobsight.org/locations to find your nearest Kentucky Career Center JobSight and contact a career advisor to get started.
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 jobseekers and employers all under one roof. Learn more about us at http://www.ekcep.org, http://www.jobsight.org and http://www.facebook.com/ekcep.
