Annette Konan
Age: 28
Hometown: Ivory Coast
Region: Philadelphia
Center: Blue Ridge
Dates enrolled: 5/13/2014 – 2/29/2016
Training: Clinical Medical Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant

Annette Konan grew up in the Ivory Coast or West Africa before moving with her family to the United States. After a short time, she found Job Corps and decided to apply. “My knowledge about the English language was very minimal, and I needed to learn the language to get a head start in life,” she recalled. Job Corps proved instrumental in this endeavor.
Becoming fluent in English helped her pursue the career technical training at the center, where she obtained certified nursing assistant and clinical medical assistant certifications. She also became a student leader, working as a recreation aide and serving as a member of the Student Government Association. Annette also volunteered at the Atkins Food Pantry in her free time.
Annette is now employed full-time as a medical assistant at a Bethesda Internal Medicine. She is also pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in health sciences at Stratford University, with the ultimate goal of becoming a physician’s assistant or a nutritionist.
“I would tell anyone attending Job Corps to stay focused on their objectives and take it one day at a time.” Annette also wanted to express her gratitude to former staff members who have since passed away: William A. Fields, Barbara Puckett, and Mike Steele.