Tanya Green
Age: 27
Hometown: Norfolk, VA
Region: Philadelphia
Center: Blue Ridge
Dates enrolled: 9/30/2014 – 8/28/2015
Training: Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy, EKG Tech, Patient Care Tech

While making good grades wasn’t typically an issue for Tanya Green, but in middle school she began to get into some trouble, faced multiple suspensions, and eventually stopped attending school altogether. Through the assistance of a local program called Youth Academy of Virginia Beach, Tanya was eventually able to earn a GED from home. Her goal was to become a radiology technician, and applied to the closest program she knew, at Tidewater Community College. She was able to keep her head above water for a while, but after two semesters, she had not earned the necessary grades to continue. This led her to working minimum wage jobs, living paycheck to paycheck, and barely getting by. She was ready for a change, and Blue Ridge Job Corps provided the opportunity.
Tanya earned a variety of certifications, including Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy, EKG Tech, and Patient Care Tech, but she says that Job Corps was so much more than that. “During my 11 months in the program, I learned so many skills; I became more independent, I learned to communicate, how to save money, and so much more,” she stated.
Tanya has found her niche in the health care field, as she is in her fifth year as a certified nursing assistant at Harbons Salomes Home Center in Virginia Beach, VA, and she is currently in the process of applying for nursing school. “No matter what path I choose in the future,” she explained, “I know it will be in health care.”
“Without the Job Corps program, I would not be where I am today. Beyond just my education, Job Corps taught me independence and gave me the means to provide for myself.”