Tichana Birt
Age: 27
Hometown: Bayshore, NY
Region: Philadelphia
Center: Blue Ridge
Dates enrolled: 5/17/2016 – 3/1/2018
Training: Certified Nursing Assistant, High School Diploma

Tichana Birt was born to a single mother in Bayshore, New York. Her mother was very young, and she did the absolute best she could to provide a life for Tichana. “Growing up, my mom was learning as much as I was.” In pursuit of better opportunities, they moved to Virginia Beach, where Tichana spent the bulk of her childhood.
Unfortunately, Tichana began acting out, and she started getting into trouble. “Eventually, my actions became too much for my mom, and she kicked me out,” Tichana explained. Knowing she had to make a change, Tichana began looking for a way to get back on the right track. She saw a flyer for Job Corps, and made an appointment to speak with a recruiter. She chose Blue Ridge because of the health care trades and the fact that it was an all-women’s center.
That decision set her on a path to success, starting with earning her high school diploma. In addition to that, she also completed nursing assistant, and pass her state board test. She learned to thrive in the new environment, and would go on to become the Student Government President. She also volunteered at the Atkins food pantry, helping provide meals to those in need.
Tichana now works as a med tech. at Williams Place Retirement Home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her ultimate goal is to become an addiction therapist and open her own rehabilitation facility. She’s already taken the first steps, as she is pursuing a degree in psychology and addiction at Purdue Global University.
“I stepped outside of my comfort zone, and I was able to grow from it, not just in my career and education, but in my life,” she explained. “I want to offer my sincere thanks to all of the staff at Blue Ridge who helped me to become successful. I couldn’t have done it without you.”