Services at Daniel Boone JobSight Help Clay Countian Brasen Whitaker Connect with Work Opportunity in the Pharmacy Field
Brasen Whitaker
When Brasen Whitaker was preparing for his senior year of high school in 2023, he wasn’t looking for just any summer job. He wanted to gain experience in a field that truly sparked his interest, and thanks to the services offered at his local Kentucky Career Center JobSight, he found himself not just earning a paycheck but getting a firsthand look at careers in the pharmacy field.
Whitaker’s journey began at the Daniel Boone Kentucky Career Center JobSight in Manchester, a place he was already familiar with.
“I knew about JobSight because some students in my area had participated,” he explains, “and my
grandmother previously worked there.”
Whitaker said he knew the staff at the career center could help him land a job at a local pharmacy, so he connected with JoAnn Nolan, who at the time worked as a career advisor at the Kentucky Career Center JobSight at Daniel Boone Community Action Agency.
A partner in the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network of workforce centers, Daniel Boone Community Action Agency provides Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services in Clay and Jackson 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.
Whitaker was eligible for support through EKCEP’s EKY FLOOD program, which provides career and employment assistance to counties included in the state’s emergency declaration following the July 2022 flooding in Eastern Kentucky. He says the support he received through the program was a key factor in ensuring his job search was successful.
“They were helpful right from the start. They helped me with a résumé and sent it in. They basically did it for me,” Whitaker explains, reflecting on the assistance he received. “They just always listened and made the whole process simple.”
Understanding Whitaker's aspirations, Nolan explored potential opportunities and determined his eligibility to enroll for services that would go beyond just guidance. From providing essential attire to facilitating interviews, she ensured that Whitaker had the tools and resources necessary to succeed.
“When I got the job, they bought two pairs of like scrub outfits as well as a pair of shoes. And they also gave me a gas card, I believe, every month.” Whitaker recalls.
Nolan also provided the connection Whitaker needed to land the job and confirmed an opportunity for him at Express Care Pharmacy in Manchester through the career center’s work experience program. The program covered Whitaker’s wages while he gained experience at the pharmacy during the summer, after which he was offered a part-time position to continue working during his senior year of high school.
Today, Whitaker is preparing to graduate high school while continuing his part-time job at the pharmacy with two dual-credit classes at Eastern Kentucky University, all while setting his sights on a pharmacy technician certification.
Whitaker is balancing a full workload between school and his work responsibilities. He says he was happy to be able to access the services at his local career center to help connect him with an opportunity that he otherwise may not have had to gain experience at a pharmacy and confirm his goals of beginning a career in the field.
Anyone who is looking for a new job or just to get their foot in the door in a chosen field of work should at least begin their search at their local career center, he adds.
“I’d recommend anyone to the Kentucky Career Center JobSight,” Whitaker says. “They make the whole process extremely easy and simple to be able to find a job and get a career out of it with help from career advisors.”
If you’re interested in applying for career and employment services, visit jobsight.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.
