On March 5, 2019, Cia-Simone arrived at the Cleveland Job Corps Center to study Building Construction Technology. With a High School Diploma from Bedford High School in hand, she wasted no time earning credentials in Building Construction Technology, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Forklift. “I enrolled in the Cleveland Job Corps Center to get a certification in a trade and do something with my life,” explained Cia-Simone. “I had too much free time on my hands and was not being productive.”

Cia-Simone stated that she had significant support from Mike Yeager, Building Construction Technology Instructor; Neal Randol, Deputy Center Director; Kimberly Jordan, Counselor; Yolanda Ooten, Residential Supervisor; Sharon Patterson, Social Development Director; and students that helped mentor her along the way. She also wanted to acknowledge the wellness department for helping her overcome challenges that kept her from succeeding in life.

On February 14, 2020, the twenty-one-year-old completed the program and gained employment at Hitchcock Center for Women as a Facility Maintenance worker. “If you are working on something exciting that you really care about you don’t have to be pushed, because the vision pulls you,” explained Cia-Simone.