Meet Sandra
Virginia - Meet Sandra
Workforce Success Story Submitted By: VCCS
Workforce Challenge
With the increasing threat of a shortage of health care workers, Sandra Hale decided it was time to further her education and upgrade her skills from Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse. A single mother who worked full-time, she had been attending classes at Southwest Virginia Community College to complete general education requirements. Although she was elated when she received her acceptance letter for the RN program, she knew tuition would further strain her limited income.
Workforce Solution
Sandra contacted the Clinch Valley Community Action Inc. WIA staff in Tazwell, VA, to see if they could help her financially so she could reach her goal of becoming an RN.
“I knew if I could get some assistance with the cost, I could put the time and effort needed into the program to succeed,” she says. “I appreciate all the help I received from WIA to help me gain the education I needed to obtain employment, become financially stable and provide for my family. Not only did they provide the financial assistance I needed, but I had a strong support system and encouragement along the way. ”
Outcomes & Benefits
Hale worked part-time and attended SWCC full-time to accomplish her career goal and is now one of the newest employees in the fast-growing health care field, thanks to the WIA program administered by Clinch Valley Community Action Inc. She is working as a home health care nurse and has doubled her hourly wage. In the future, she plans to pursue her bachelor’s degree in nursing but, for now, she’s focusing on acquiring experience as an RN. Congratulations, Sandra!
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