Gail Davis was enrolled at Blue Ridge Job Corps from 3/6/2012-2/10/2014. While at Blue Ridge she earned Gold on the National Career Readiness Certificate through the ACT Workkeys Assessment. She achieved vocational credentials in Phlebotomy, EKG Technician, Clinical Medical Assistant, & Patient Care Technician. During Gail’s enrollment she played a huge role in the student leadership on center. She was looked up to by many of her peers as a role model. She sang the Star Spangled Banner at a number of graduations, and at many Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) special events. She accumulated 568 hours of work based learning that included a Medical Assistant internship at the Mel Leaman free Clinic. Gail was also a first friend and big sister to new students. Providing them a helping hand during those first few weeks on center. She has a vibrant personally, and is always smiling. She has an uplifting demeanor that inspires others around her to do the same. Gail says the most thing she liked about Blue Ridge was that “ I was a part of making the students become better by tutoring, being chief justice, and being able to sing to use my talent thru out the Blue Ridge community” If she had any advice to current students it would be “Stay strong and focused, and remember you came for a change, a chance, and an opportunity. Don’t walk out the same way you came in”. One of Gail’s proudest moments is when she sand the Star Spangled Banner in her Cap &Gown at her own Graduation.
What may be most impressive about Gail’s job corps experience is how life has been since she graduated. Gail came to Blue Ridge from Charlotte, NC. However shortly after she left she landed a job on March 10, 2014 at the Watson Clinic in Lakeland, Florida. She started as a floating Medical Assistant working in a variety of different practices such as family practice, internal medicine, and podiatry. However now she is a full time Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) and she works primarily with one doctor where she sees patients from 2yrs and up.

She says she learned a lot being a floating Medical Assistant. “I learn something new every day” she says. She in now proficient in Billing & Coding using ICD 10 codes. She assists the doctor with more complex in house procedures such as excisions, and intramuscular injections in the knees and shoulders. In the 2 ½ years she has been working she has had an increase of $2.00/ hour in pay. That equals to an extra annual income of $4,160. In an interview conducted July 20, 2016 Gail says. “To be honest, job Corps plays a lot of rolls in my life. From money management, to having self-confidence to do the things I thought I never could do. I feel awesome about my career. I got my first apartment when I was 22 and I am driving a 2015 Toyota Corolla that I bought. For a while there at JC I didn’t feel confident in my goals, and my accomplishment, but with the help of god and some true friends and the staff the saw potential in me. I’m proud to say I made it.”