The Hartford Job Corps Academy has been Cristina Grace’s ticket to college. Her long journey to higher education began years ago after graduating from high school in her hometown of Norwood, MA. She had planned to go right to college and study nursing, but she couldn’t afford the expense. Cristina then enrolled in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program at the Hartford Job Corps Academy in 2008. She completed the CNA program and did a six-month clinical internship at St. Mary’s Home in Hartford. She then enrolled at Goodwin College to study for a career as a Certified Medical Assistant, but after two semesters she realized working in the medical field was no longer her passion. “My whole life I thought I wanted to be a nurse,” she said. “Job Corps gave me the opportunity to try nursing and realize it wasn’t for me.” Now, Cristina has enroll at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Boston — a nine month program that will introduce her to a career as a pastry chef. She hopes to continue her studies at the Culinary Institute of America and some day run her own bakery. “I’m a baker … that’s my real passion,” she said. Even though she is taking a different career path, Cristina said Job Corps showed her the way to success. “I love everything about Job Corps,” she said, “the programs, job skills and the way they build your self-confidence. This place is awesome!”