Emily
Our DORS partner referred Emily to the American Job Center in LWA 21 for assistance. Emily was working as a CNA and wanted to pursue training as an LPN. She took the next step, filled out the WIOA application, and was approved for the program. Emily took the CASPN placement test and was accepted into their LPN program.
In high school, Emily was undecided about a career goal. She had many different options, but always knew that she wanted to help people. Upon graduation, she went to a nearby community college and started taking generic classes that could go towards any degree. After the first year in college, she decided that Nursing may be an option and it would fulfill her dream of helping people. She took a CNA course and made the decision that Nursing was her chosen field. Emily truly loves helping patients and residents with their activities of daily living and helping them to be the best that they can be. She feels “in Nursing, people count on you in some of their darkest or happiest moments and your job is to be able to provide for them and be by their side.”
Emily started an ADN program at the community college she had been attending and was almost done, but was unable to complete the program. Later, she continued taking classes; she did not give up on her dream of becoming a nurse. In 2018, she was accepted to Capital Area School of Practical Nursing. It is a nine-month, accelerated LPN program. It seemed to Emily to be a long nine months, but she was able to add to her knowledge base and meet some of the most wonderful people. Emily believes that if not for WIOA, she would not have been able to afford continuing her education and fulfilling her dream of becoming a nurse. She will be forever grateful for this opportunity and is so thankful. She was able to pass the NCLEX the first try and has started her career as a LPN at SIU School of Medicine and is planning to continue her nursing education to become an RN.